A QAJAR CERAMIC TILE DEPICTING ROYAL SCENE, PERSIA, dated A.H. 1304 / A.D. 1886-7

of square form, painted with a depiction of the Qajar monarch Nasir Al Din Shah (1831-1896) flanked by his officers meeting with a Russian delegation, set in an elevated eight-pointed star against a floral background

glaze cracquelure throughout, 2 hairline cracks lower edge, chips to extremities, visible in catalogue illustration, as viewed
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

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amal-e kamtarin mustafa 1304

'Work of the smallest (servant of God) Mustafa 1304 (AD 1886-7)'

Scenes depicting Qajar royals and nobility liaising with their Russian counterparts are common themes in Qajar art of the period. The 19th century was a crucial period in the development of relations between Iran and the western powers, and the turbulent, often violent relationship which Iran and Russia shared are common subjects of Qajar art  (see Royal Persian paintings, the Qajar epoch, 1785-1925, New York, 1998, No. 52 p. 201) . 

Nasir Al-Din Shah himself conducted extensive relations with Tsar Nicholas I over the accession of Persia's northern territories, culminating in the signing of the Treaty of Akhal in 1881. An earlier depiction of the monarch meeting Tsar Nicholas I on a mirror case is in a private collection (see Royal Persian paintings, the Qajar epoch, 1785-1925, New York, 1998, No.73, Fig. XXIV p. 235).