Portrait of Prince Nasir al-Din Mirza

Aqa Buzurg Shirazi

1840's · Watercolor on paper · Islamic Art

The inscription next to this figure identifies him as "crown prince of the victorious state [of Iran]." It is likely a portrait of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar shortly before he acceded the throne in 1848 and became the fourth ruler of the Qajar dynasty. The painter Aqa Buzurg Shirazi (active ca. 1840–1860) has successfully captured the prince’s adolescent awkwardness. Rendered in the distinct hybrid style of the second half of the nineteenth century and possibly informed by a photograph, the portrait reflects a new interest in realism, immediacy, and expressing mood.

Artist

Aqa Buzurg Shirazi

Date

1840's

Medium

Watercolor on paper

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Gift of Stephen and Thomas Ettinghausen, in memory of Dr. Richard Ettinghausen and Dr. Elisabeth S. Ettinghausen, 2017