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Source Description

This painting, Walters manuscript leaf W.691, depicts courtiers of the Safavid ruler Shah 'Abbas I (reigned 996 AH/AD 1588-1038 AH/AD 1629). It is the right side of a double-page composition, which most likely served as a frontispiece to a manuscript. Certain courtiers of Shah 'Abbas I are identified by name. In the far upper right two men stand wearing turbans with vertical extensions held at the center, who are identified as Alpan Bik (Beg) (in a blue robe) and Qarajaghay Khan (in a red robe). Their headdress is distinctive of high-ranking members of court during the early 11th century AH/AD 17th. Qarajaghay Khan, an Armenian of the royal household, held a number of political positions at court and was an important patron of the arts. Standing lower down on the right side is Shah Vardi Bik Ishik Aqasi (literally master of the threshold, or master of ceremonies) (in a gold and black robe). An Uzbek envoy (ilchi-yi Uzbak) (in a beige and blue patterned robe) is seated on the carpet. Falconers, grooms, and a musician (Qubad-i Kurd) standing beside a man identified as Mirza 'Umar (?) Shaykh (in a red and gold robe) are also shown. There are 2 seated female figures, identified as Gulpari and Dukhtardallalah. The latter seems to denote a woman who procures enslaved girls for the palace. This single leaf has been associated with Reception at the court of Shah`Abbas I, also housed at the Walters Art Museum (W.771, fol. 50a). However, it is unlikely that the two ever formed a double-page composition.

Scholar Source Context

Document identity
localId
17731
label
Single Leaf of Courtiers at a Reception of Shah `Abbas I
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
17731
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Single Leaf of Courtiers at a Reception of Shah `Abbas I
description
This painting, Walters manuscript leaf W.691, depicts courtiers of the Safavid ruler Shah 'Abbas I (reigned 996 AH/AD 1588-1038 AH/AD 1629). It is the right side of a double-page composition, which most likely served as a frontispiece to a manuscript. Certain courtiers of Shah 'Abbas I are identified by name. In the far upper right two men stand wearing turbans with vertical extensions held at the center, who are identified as Alpan Bik (Beg) (in a blue robe) and Qarajaghay Khan (in a red robe). Their headdress is distinctive of high-ranking members of court during the early 11th century AH/AD 17th. Qarajaghay Khan, an Armenian of the royal household, held a number of political positions at court and was an important patron of the arts. Standing lower down on the right side is Shah Vardi Bik Ishik Aqasi (literally master of the threshold, or master of ceremonies) (in a gold and black robe). An Uzbek envoy (ilchi-yi Uzbak) (in a beige and blue patterned robe) is seated on the carpet. Falconers, grooms, and a musician (Qubad-i Kurd) standing beside a man identified as Mirza 'Umar (?) Shaykh (in a red and gold robe) are also shown. There are 2 seated female figures, identified as Gulpari and Dukhtardallalah. The latter seems to denote a woman who procures enslaved girls for the palace. This single leaf has been associated with Reception at the court of Shah`Abbas I, also housed at the Walters Art Museum (W.771, fol. 50a). However, it is unlikely that the two ever formed a double-page composition.
provenance
John Edward Taylor Sale, Christie's, London, July 5 1912, lot 3; purchased by Dikran Kelekian, 1912; purchased by Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1912-1913; by bequest to Walters Art Museum, 1931.
date
mid 11th century AH/AD 17th century (Safavid)
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
illuminated manuscripts
folios (leaves)
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
39.5
height
23.5
dimensionsRaw
H: 15 9/16 x W: 9 1/4 in. (39.5 x 23.5 cm); Image H: 12 3/16 x W: 7 13/16 in. (31 x 19.8 cm)
Source extras
cul
Islamic
dynasty
Safavid Dynasty
RelatedObjects
84256
84255
med
ink and pigments on paper mounted on pasteboard
creator_ids
6747
collection_ids
MSS
ISL
MIS
exhibition_ids
2339
2056
548
3084
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
bcab39586610a72f