Unknown, Miniature, Paper, Framed

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Description

Miniature realized in Iran or Central Asia in the early 20th Century Gouache, ink and gold on paper, mounter on … Read more Miniature realized in Iran or Central Asia in the early 20th Century Gouache, ink and gold on paper, mounter on a later walnut frame. Very well preserved, with strong pigment retention. A richly detailed and finely executed Persian-style miniature depicting a crowded courtly and pastoral scene, rendered in the classical manner of Safavid and Mughal manuscript illumination. The composition unfolds across a mountainous, stylized landscape painted in soft turquoise, jade, and celadon tones, with figures distributed across rocky outcrops in animated poses. At the center, a group of nobles and attendants engage in conversation, reading, and music-making, while others gather birds, hunt, or observe the environment. The figures—characterized by elongated proportions, expressive gestures and meticulously patterned garments—reflect the influence of late Qajar and early 20th-century revivalist schools, which reinterpreted classical Persian manuscript art for modern panel formats. Surrounding the scene is an elaborate decorative border of scrolling foliage and floral motifs executed in ink and gold, demonstrating a high level of ornamental refinement. Housed within a later burl-wood frame with an inner gilt moulding, the work retains its visual presence despite visible age-related wear to the reverse. See less