A portrait of a late Safavid ruler, Persia, Isfahan, late 17th century

pounced drawing, ink with use of colours and gold on paper, mounted on an album page with later gilt-decorated orange borders

This interesting pounced drawing shows a ruler seated with attendants. It is not clear which of the late Safavid shahs is depicted, but Shah Sultan Husain (r.1694-1722) had a long, rather thin face with a long, straight nose, and thus the drawing probably represents this ruler (see a portrait of him in the British Museum, 1920.9-17.0299, Canby 1999, no.158, p.176). His turban is decorated with a flamboyant array of feathered ornaments. A similar example can be seen in a late seventeenth-century portrait of a Prince and Princess attributed to Ali Quli Jabbadar in the British Museum (see Ferrier 1989, p.193, no.17).

The style of the drawing here is close to that of Sheikh Abbasi (fl. circa 1650-84), one of the greatest artists of the later Safavid period, particularly in the figures of the attendants. However, Sheikh Abbasi had ceased working by the time Shah Sultan Husain came to the throne, and therefore it is possible that this is the work of a follower working closely in his style, or the character depicted is an earlier prince of the Safavid line with similar features, such as one standing in attendance on Shah Suleiman (r.1666-94) in a painting signed by Ali Quli Jubaddar in the St.Petersburg Album (see Muraqqa, pl.191, folio 99 recto).