Portrait of Ḥakím Shifá'í, Isfahan, Safavid Iran, 1630-1640, circa 1640

Painting. Portrait. A doctor, ḥakím shifá'í, sitting crosslegged. Painted in gouache and gilded on paper. School of/style of: mu`in musavvir hakim shifa'i false signature of riza-yi 'abbasi iran, isfahan, c. 1640 gouache on paper inscribed: 'portrait of hakim shifa'i, the most humble riza-yi 'abbasi drew it' even after his death in 1635, riza-yi 'abbasi continued to be emulated by isfahan painters. At least three versions of this portrait of an eminent physician at the court of shah 'abbas i (r. 1587-1629) are extant. As with the portrait of sarkhan beg, the artist has not included any of the doctor's professional implements. Rather the artist has emphasized his character and status by accentuating his long, flat rose and depicting his extravagant turban. Date: circa 1640.