Lot 273: A PERSIAN QAJAR PORTRAIT MINIATURE OF NASIR AL-DIN SHAH, SIGNED ABUL-HASSAN GHAFFARI KASHANI, DATED 1243 A.H

A nineteenth-century Persian Qajar portrait miniature executed in opaque watercolour and gold on paper. The work depicts Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar, likely shown as Crown Prince given the dating, seated in a three-quarter profile within a European-style wooden armchair. The subject is attired in formal courtly dress, including a tall black astrakhan hat (kolah) embellished with a jewelled aigrette (jikka) and white plumes. He wears a blue patterned robe (jubba) over a red tunic (qaba) with gold-embroidered cuffs and collar, paired with green trousers and striped footwear. A blue sash across his chest bears a large sunburst order, identifying the Order of the Lion and the Sun. He holds a bound volume in his right hand, with a curved sword (shamshir) positioned at his side. The figure is set against a buff-coloured background, while the foreground features a detailed geometric floor pattern of interlocking octagonal and cruciform shapes in shades of blue and yellow. To the left of the figure is a Persian inscription in nasta’liq script which reads ‘Raqam Abu’l-Hassan Ghaffari Kashani’ (Painted by Abu’l-Hassan Ghaffari of Kashan), followed by the date ‘1243’ AH. The artwork is mounted behind a deep red mat within a modern gilt-edged wooden frame.

31 by 23cm