Page 61 - ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND INDIAN WORLDS Carpets, Ceramics Objects, Christie's London Oct..27, 2022

46
A LOVESTRUCK YOUTH
SAFAVID ISFAHAN, IRAN,
SECOND HALF 17TH CENTURY
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper,
set within gold and polychrome rules, a gold-
sprinkled margin with outer gold and polychrome
rules, pasted onto card, the reverse with 'II' in
pencil
Painting 4º X 6win. (10.8 x 17.5cm.);
folio 5q x 8æin. (14 x m.)
£30,000-40,000 US$35,000-46,000
€35,000-46,000
The handsome young man in our painting is
depicted in a relaxed pose, propped up on his
elbow, leaning against cushions, and gazing
a burn marks on his arm. In the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries administering love burns
(dagh) on your partner was a sign of a lover’s
sincerity and devotion. A painting signed and
dated by Afzal al-Husayni, a student of Reza
‘Abbasi, depicts such a scene (Spirit and Life.
Masterpieces of Islamic Art from the Aga Khan
Museum Collection, Geneva, 2007, p.157, no.124).
Reclining youths, such as ours, are a rare subject
in contrast to the numerous contemporaneous
portraits of seated or standing figures. The fine
face of our youth resembles in style the work of
the artist Mu’in Musavvir, for example a painting
of a loving couple and servant exhibited in
Treasures of Islam, Geneva, 1985, p.124, no.95. It
is likely that our painting dates to a similar period.

A related portrait of a reclining youth, attributed
to Muhammad Qasim, sold in these Rooms,
25 October 2018, lot 103. As in our painting,
the background there was decorated with gold
highlighted foliage and plants, typical of Reza
‘Abbasi and his followers.

58 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.