An Ilustrated album leaf from a copy of Bidjan's Tarikh-i Djahangusha-yi Khaqan Sahibqiran (A History of Shah Isma'il I) painted by or in the style of Mu'in Musavvir, Persia, Isfahan, circa 1680, circa 1680

An ilustrated album leaf from a copy of bidjan's tarikh-i djahangusha-yi khaqan sahibqiran (a history of shah isma'il i) painted by or in the style of mu'in musavvir, persia, isfahan, circa 1680 central panel: 25. 3 by15. 9cm. Leaf: 35. 8 by 23. 3cm. Gouache heightened with gold on paper depicting shah isma'il and his courtiers on horseback, text above and below in neat nasta'liq script in black ink within cloud bands on cream paper with interlinear gold decoration, laid down on an album page with inner pale blue border with leafy gold scrolls and outer border decorated with intertwining floral scrolls in gold, framed in red all the known miniatures from this manuscript are pasted on the same kind of gold-decorated album leaves. It is difficult to say for sure whether the miniatures were painted personally by muin musavvir or by his pupils but we know that in the 1680s muin worked on two or three editions of bidjan's tarikh-i djahangusha-yi khaqan sahibqiran, and this widely dispersed example has been rendered in his unmistakable style. Two more miniatures from this manuscript can be found in the david collection, copenhagen (see von folsach 2007, p. 172-3, pl. 88 & 89), whilst a further album page was sold in these rooms on 9 april 2008, lot 53. Date: circa 1680.