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Single Leaf of Courtiers at a Reception of Shah `Abbas I

Title	Single Leaf of Courtiers at a Reception of Shah `Abbas I
Author	Iranian
Publication Date:	mid 11th century AH/AD 17th century (Safavid)
Publication Place	Iran (Place of Origin) -
Subject	Manuscripts and Rare Books, Islamic World, Islamic Manuscripts
Type	Document
Language	Arabic
Digital	Yes
Manuscript	Yes
Physical Dimensions	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)
Library:	The Walters Art Museum
Record ID	W.691
Library Location	Not on view
Date	mid 11th century AH/AD 17th century (Safavid)
Notes	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.
Sergi Ayrıntıları	Shah 'Abbas and the Three Great Shi'i Shrines of the Safavids. The British Museum, London., The Book of Kings: Art, War, and the Morgan Library's Medieval Picture Bible. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; Academy Art Museum, Easton; Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton; The Mitchell Gallery, Annapolis; Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown., Painting in Iran, Sixteenth to Seventeenth Centuries. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore., Islamic Insights. Katonah Gallery, Katonah.
Sergi Yılı	2009, 2002, 1992, 1980
Bağış/Edinim	Acquired by Henry Walters

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The Walters Art Museum

Single Leaf of Courtiers at a Reception of Shah `Abbas I

Author Iranian

Publication Date mid 11th century AH/AD 17th century (Safavid)

Publication Place Iran (Place of Origin) -

Subject Manuscripts and Rare Books, Islamic World, Islamic Manuscripts

Type Document

Language Arabic

Digital Yes

Manuscript Yes

Physical Dimensions 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)

Library The Walters Art Museum

Record ID W.691

Library Location Not on view

Date mid 11th century AH/AD 17th century (Safavid)

Notes 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.

Sergi Ayrıntıları Shah 'Abbas and the Three Great Shi'i Shrines of the Safavids. The British Museum, London., The Book of Kings: Art, War, and the Morgan Library's Medieval Picture Bible. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; Academy Art Museum, Easton; Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton; The Mitchell Gallery, Annapolis; Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown., Painting in Iran, Sixteenth to Seventeenth Centuries. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore., Islamic Insights. Katonah Gallery, Katonah.

Sergi Yılı 2009, 2002, 1992, 1980

Bağış/Edinim Acquired by Henry Walters