The gazebo and gardens of the palace of Qasr-e-Qajar, near Teheran European School, perhaps working in Persia, mid-19th Century watercolour on paper 160 x 273 mm. Footnotes: Qasr-e Qajar Palace, built around 1790 during the reign of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (reg. 1797-1834), served as one of the early royal residences of the Qajar dynasty near Tehran. It reflected the emerging Qajar architectural style, combining defensive features such as corner towers with decorative Persian design. During the 19th Century, as the Qajar court developed new palaces closer to the city, particularly under Naser al-Din Shah (reg. 1848-1896), Qasr-e Qajar gradually lost its royal importance. It was used intermittently for official and military purposes, marking its transition from a symbol of early Qajar royal authority to a secondary administrative complex by the end of the century. European artists were at work in Persia during the 19th Century, mostly French, such as Jules Laurens (1825-1901), Pascal Coste (1787-1879) and Eugene Flandin (1809-1889), all in Persia between the 1840s and 1860s, in the wake of French diplomatic missions at that time. For various examples and discussion, see G. Fellinger (ed.), L'Empire des Roses: chefs-d'oeuvre de l'art persan du XIX siecle, Lens 2018, pp. 26-35, in general, but particularly: A portrait by Jules Didier of Jules Laurens sketching in a mountainous landscape (p. 26, no. 4). A painting in oil of a sunset over the roofs of Isfahan by Jules Laurens, circa 1865, p. 33, no. 27. Jules Laurens, Ruins of the Palace of Ashraf, oil on canvas, dated 2nd June 1848, p. 34, no. 28 - a landscape with cypresses behind the ruins and mountains beyond. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing