The Lovers

Riza-yi 'Abbasi

dated A.H. 1039/ 1630 CE · Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper · Islamic Art

The artist Riza‑yi 'Abbasi revolutionized Persian painting and drawing with his inventive use of calligraphic line and unusual palette. He painted The Lovers toward the end of a long, successful career at the Safavid court. The subject of a couple entwined reflects a newly relaxed attitude to sensuality introduced in the reign of Shah Safi (r. 1629–42). Here the figures are inextricably bound together, merged volumes confined within one outline.

Artist: Riza-yi 'Abbasi
Date: dated A.H. 1039/ 1630 CE
Medium: Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper
Department: Islamic Art
Credit line: Purchase, Francis M. Weld Gift, 1950

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