Opaque waterbased pigments on paper with gold leaf, laid into album folio
Persia or possibly India, presumably mid-17th century
Isfahan School or Dekkan School
Buff natural margins and borders between gold red and black ruled lines.
Ink and pencil inscriptions in the borders
Verso with calligraphy
Dimensions: 35 x 24.7 cm
Good condition
Provenance: Private collection, North Rhine-Westphalia
Powerful depiction after a work by leading Persian miniaturist of the Isfahan School

The present miniature is an illustration to the Qisas al-Anbiya (History of the Prophets) of Nishapuri. It was most certainly created during the mid-17th century in Persia or possibly in India. Prophet Moses and Aaron are depicted conjuring a dragon to attack the magicians of the Pharaoh. The miniature has been painted after the late 16th century painting in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris signed by Aqa Riza of Safavid Persia (c. 1565–1635), however leaving out two left-hand figures.

Condition:

The miniature has probably been somewhat trimmed at the edges. The top and bottom of the painting were extended and added in. There are some paint losses in the representation. The outer buff borders show some stains and losses, especially at upper left, with cover papers loosely and irregularly applied. The dimensions are 35 x 24.7 cm.



Isfahan School

The Isfahan School comprises paintings and calligraphy created around the city of Isfahan in the 16th to 18th centuries. Many artists were influenced by the school’s most celebrated painter Reza Abbasi (Aqa Riza) and some also adopted Europeanized pictorial concepts. Many paintings were assembled in albums. Popular themes were idealized and elegantly dressed men and women in bright and saturated colors.



Dekkan School

The Dekkan School is a style of Indian miniature painting, which developed in the South of India in the 16th century. The style is composed of a number of local traditions from the Dekkan region, with some Islamic influences from Iran, Persia and Turkey. The artistry is on par with Mughal art. Dekkan miniatures show elaborate compositions with intense colors, giving an overall romantic impression.

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