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About this Item

Title

  • Qajar Album.

Summary

  • This small Qajar album from the time of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (1772--1834; ruled, 1797--1834) combines calligraphic art from various epochs with early 19th-century illustrations of high artistic quality. Although the depiction of persons is standardized and lacks individuality, the use of perspective, especially in the background, reveals European influence. Two of the miniatures portray princely scions dressed in expensive robes. Two other pages are dedicated to one of the most popular motifs of Persian book painting: the love of the nightingale for the rose, a symbol of unconditional, self-sacrificing love. The Qajar dynasty ruled Persia (present-day Iran) from 1785 to 1925. The artist makes reference to the new dynasty, depicting in delicate gold in the upper margin of both miniatures the motif of the Qajar coat of arms: a lion in front of the rising sun. This suggests that the pictures may have been commissioned by a member of the ruling house. The album later was acquired by the French orientalist Baron Antoine Isaac Silvestre de Sacy (1758--1838) and subsequently came to the Bavarian State Library as part of the library of Étienne Marc Quatremère (1782--1857), also a noted French orientalist.

Created / Published

  • Persia : [publisher not identified], [1800 to 1850]

Headings

  • -  Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • -  1800 to 1850
  • -  Calligraphy, Persian
  • -  Illuminations
  • -  Miniatures (Illuminations)
  • -  Qajar dynasty, 1794-1925

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  "BSB Shelfmark Cod.pers. 132"--Note extracted from World Digital Library.
  • -  Original resource extent: 14 sheets. Paper on cardboard in fanfold form : illustrations ; 22 x 14.5 centimeters.
  • -  Original resource at: Bavarian State Library.
  • -  Content in Persian.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Source Collection

  • World History

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021667741

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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The Library asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here.

Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Qajar Album. [Persia: Publisher Not Identified, to 1850, 1800] Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667741/.

APA citation style:

(1800) Qajar Album. [Persia: Publisher Not Identified, to 1850] [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667741/.

MLA citation style:

Qajar Album. [Persia: Publisher Not Identified, to 1850, 1800] Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021667741/>.