Portrait of Mirza 'Ali Asghar Khan (Amin al-Mulk, Amin al-Sultan, Atabeg-i Azam)

Isma'il Jalayir

ca. 1880 · Opaque watercolor on paper · Islamic Art

This is a portrait of Mirza ‘Ali Asghar Khan Amin al-Sultan, who became Prime Minister at the courts of the fourth and fifth rulers of the Qajar dynasty, Nasir al-Din Shah (r. 1848–1896), and his successor Muzaffar al-Din Shah (1896–1907). The painter, Ismaʿil Jalayir, an intriguing court artist of nineteenth-century Iran, covered many of his works with tiny vignettes of flora and fauna like the ones seen here. The portrait is set against a paradisical background, highlighting the opulence of the court, while the image of the minister, the furniture, and the objects surrounding him reflect an engagement with European art and photography. Although Jalayir rarely dated his paintings, this work bears a partially legible date, suggesting it was completed in A.H. 1299/A.D. 1880.

Artist

Isma'il Jalayir

Date

ca. 1880

Medium

Opaque watercolor on paper

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Purchase, 2017 NoRuz at The Met Benefit, 2017