Persian Miniature Painting: Sixteenth century Persian Turbans
Sixteenth century Persian Turbans
Detail – “A Prince Entertained” attributed to Abdol’-Aziz
Detail – “Court Scene in a Garden” signed by Abdollah-e Mozahheb and dated 1581
We use Turban styles to help us estimate when a work was painted. But ascertaining time is only part of it. Artists tend to paint Turbans in a particular style. To the left we can see a typical portrayal of Safavid head gear in a miniature attributed to Abdol’-Aziz 3. Please note that at the point of the headdress where the cloth peaks at the taj’e Haydari the cloth peaks equally both to the right and to the left.
Please compare this to the Safavid head gear in a work attributed to Abdollah-e Mozahheb. The cloth peaks to the left of the taj’e Haydari and then goes behind over to the right and covers the left. This is so typical of Abdullah as to be nearly a signature. I am developing a working hypothesis that Abdollah painetd Turbams in a Shiraz stle and the Abdol’-Aziz is in more of a Tabriz style,
Detail – “A Prince Entertained”.attributed to Abdol’-Aziz
Detail – “Court Scene in a Garden”.signed by Abdollah-e Mozahheb and dated 1581
Abdollah-e Mozahheb painted a special Turban for Princes. Please note how the cloth wraps around the taj’e Haydari in the image on the right. In the image to the left attributed to Abdol’-Aziz we see a Prince wearing a conventionally wrapped turban.
I also have to note that the image of the prince by Abdollah-e Mozahheb has the long thin neck typical of the art of the court of Ibrahim Mirza. The thick neck and death mask face in the work attributed to Abdol’-Aziz is not something I would expect to see from Abdollah-e Mozahheb.
Detail – “A Prince Entertained”.attributed to Abdol’-Aziz
Detail – “Court Scene in a Garden”.signed by Abdollah-e Mozahheb and dated 1581
“A City Dweller Desecrates a Garden” from the Haft Awrang of Jami
Detail – “A Prince Entertained”.attributed to Abdol’-Aziz
The painting on the left is from the Haft Awrang of Jami and is in the Welch Painter D group. Based on this comparison I am inclined to suggest that Painter D and Abdol’-Aziz were two very different people.
Also please note how the prince in “A City Dweller Desecrates a Garden” from the Haft Awrang of Jami has a turban tied as we would expect in a prince painted by Abdollah-e Mozahheb.
“A City Dweller Desecrates a Garden” from the Haft Awrang of Jami
Detail – “Court Scene in a Garden”.signed by Abdollah-e Mozahheb and dated 1581
The painting on the left is from the Haft Awrang of Jami and is in the Welch Painter D group. Based on this comparison I am inclined to suggest that Abdollah-e Mozahheb must be the painter of “A City Dweller Desecrates a Garden” from the Haft Awrang of Jami.