19th-early 20th century AD. A very large canvas Qajar style painting with wooden frame depicting a female sitting on a padded divan with her right hand to her face, left hand holding a small glass, shelf with vase and fruit to the rear; the dress, seat, headdress and bracelets with ornamental bands and jewels; signature at bottom left. Property of an American lady; acquired 1970s-1990s. C.f. Ferrier, R.W. (ed), The Arts of Persia Yale, 1989, pp. 225-231 for a discussion on post-Safavid painting. In the eighteenth century European tastes began to filter into the Iranian court and this is most notable in the Qajar dynasty which took over the rule of the country at the end of that century. The style of painting shows many traditional Persian forms that are apparent in manuscripts, but there is an increase in western style clothing and particularly folk art styles that were popular in Europe at the time. Towards the nineteenth century a more fluid style appears and which remained popular into the early part of the twentieth century. 2.5 kg, 137 x 101cm (54 x 39 1/2").

Fine condition.