1940s Persian First Edition Lithograph After Portrait of a Young Prince

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A gorgeous vintage First Edition full color offset lithograph (print) after Portrait of a Young Prince ( early Safawi school … Read more A gorgeous vintage First Edition full color offset lithograph (print) after Portrait of a Young Prince ( early Safawi school 1525-1550) from Collection of M. Henri Vever, Paris. Published in Switzerland in 1940. First Limited edition. High-end quality. Printed on one side of heavy wove paper, numbered at the lower left corner. This is 78 years old original offset lithograph (colors were printed separately) after 16th century Persian painting. Excellent condition - never framed.

It was only at the very end of the 15th century that it became the practice in Persia to paint separate miniatures not for inclusion in manuscripts though they might afterwards be mounted in an album. At first these were mostly portraits. It was suggested that the subject of the present miniature was Shah Tahmasp himself, but this is unlikely. He is represented as holding a book in which are written poems in praise of his beauty. He wears the high turban with long stick (kulah) which was the headdress introduced by Safawi house. The feathers in it mark his princely rank.

This miniature may be attributed to the Sayyid Mir Musawwir, who was specially esteemed as a portrait painter and succeeded Bihzad as head of Tahmasp's library staff. A signed painting by him at the British Museum represents a standing figure, painted in closely similar style but on a rather larger scale.

Overall 9.5"W x 13.75"H
Image 5.5"W x 8.45"H See less