Page 69 - ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND INDIAN WORLDS Carpets, Ceramics Objects, Christie's London Oct..27, 2022

This painting is by Reza ‘Abbasi (ca. 1565- of birds developed during the second half of
1635) who is considered perhaps the most the 17 century. Two very similar paintings
th
innovative and influential later Safavid artist. of a bulbul perched on a rock are signed by
A contemporary of Shah ‘Abbas, he joined the Mu’in Musavvir – one is in the Keir Collection
Shah’s atelier soon after his accession in 1587, (illustrated here, and bought at Christie’s,
and continued to work into the 1630s. Our London, 4 July 1985, lot 194), the other is in Yale
painting clearly illustrates Reza’s keen sense University Art Gallery (2001.138.9). So close are
of colouristic nuance, his amazing naturalistic Mu’in’s paintings to this painting by his teacher
precision, and his ability to express tactile that he must have been aware of it and used
qualities, such as the feathers of our bulbul, all it as his model. Although Reza was a prolific
of which come together to form the controlled artist with numerous students, there are very
exuberance for which he is known. few works by him where we can clearly identify
a direct copy done by one of his students. One
Paintings of birds are less common in such example is the Nashmi Kaman-dar ‘the
the corpus of works by Reza’ Abbasi than Archer’, where the original by Reza is in the
handsome youths or lovers. In her seminal work Harvard Art Museum (1960.197), and a copy
on the artist, Sheila Canby writes that Reza had by Mu’in in the Smithsonian (S1998.15). The
a penchant for including birds ‘in conversation’ rediscovery of this painting and its similarity to
with one another in his paintings, and writes the Keir and Yale Mu’in birds, provides another
that it is therefore not surprising that he also valuable demonstration of the master-student
then took single birds as subjects (Sheila relationship.
Canby, The Rebellious Reformer. The Drawings
and Paintings of Riza-yi ‘Abbasi of Isfahan, Our painting was sold in one of three sales of
London, 1996, p.132). She mentions only three the Sevadjian collection which took place at
others that are known – one a copy of a work Hotel Drouot in Paris on 22/23 November 1960,
by Bihzad of a Jay Perched in Flowers (cat.97 18/20 March 1961 (where ours appeared as
in her book, present whereabouts unknown); lot 46) and 31 October 1961. Between the first
another a bulbul or nightingale mounted with two sales there were 12 similar bird paintings
Lovers in a Landscape which she dates to the sold. Two were signed Reza ‘Abbasi (one is
1620s (cat.53, now in the Seattle Art Museum, ours, the other was painted on cotton and is
inv.no.IS36.13); and a Study of a Bird which is listed in Sheila Canby’s work on the artist as
dated Sha’ban AH 1043/February 1634 AD, having an ‘uncertain attribution’), two paintings
a year before his death (cat.98, now in the by Mu’in Musavvir, two by Shafi’ ‘Abbasi, and
Metropolitan Museum of Art, acc.no.1985.2, one by ‘Ali Naqi bin Shaykh ‘Abbasi. The others
acquired at Christie’s, London, 28 November were unsigned. Many shared similar borders
1983, lot 125). Like those, our painting depicts with ours, and the late Mlle Densmore, who
the bulbul perched on a craggy rock, a large was responsible for the Sevadjian catalogues
leafy tree swaying in the background. The level stated that the paintings originally formed
of detail exhibited in our painting is closer to part of a royal album, of birds (B.W.Robinson,
that of the Seattle bird. Canby argues that R.W.Skelton, Friedrich Spuhler, Géza Fehérvári,
the Met bird reveals brushwork that is slightly Oliver Watson and R.H.Pinder-Wilson, Islamic
less crisp, and forms that are slightly less well Art in the Keir Collection, London, 1988, p.21).
defined – perhaps due to his advanced age at
the time of painting it (Canby, op.cit., p.132). A Safavid portrait of Reza by, Mu’in Musavvir,
sold Christie’s, New York as part of The
Amongst Reza ‘Abbasi’s most brilliant followers Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, 10
were Mu’in Musavvir and Shaykh ‘Abbasi, May 2018, lot 1001. A painting by Reza of a
both of whom also executed bird studies Seated Youth sold more recently Christie’s,
similar in a style to ours, as a vogue for highly London, 25 October 2018, lot 56.
finished and meticulously accurate studies
A White-Eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus Leucogenys), 1671
The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art (K.1.2014,775)
© The Kier Collection, by kind permission of Ranros Universal, SA.

66 67