A Lady at Leisure

Muhammed Sadiq is notable for guiding the painters who would come after him away from European-influences in their art, and instead looking toward a strong sense of Persian motifs and stylisation just before the Qajar period. In this portrait of a young woman, one can note such stylisation and the remarkable fashion of the period this painting is estimated to have originated from, between 1770 and 1780 AD. The woman, whom one can assume had high standing, wears an skirt and is also surrounded by décor that demonstrates one particular feature of Persian paintings in this era: intricately-detailed patterns within clothing and room interiors. Her shirt is sheer, rendering her semi-nude which was not unfounded in Persian art; there are a few examples of such prior to the 18th century, but many notable ones speak to a cultural dialogue exchange from European art and sexuality. Quite a few included European visuals, such as clothing or posing, and were commentary on their sexualisation of nudity, something Persian art had not shared at the time. Seated nudes were regarded as European influence during the previous century, which makes it all the more interesting when considering this portrait's posing and whether Sadiq was able to move away from such influence as he desired. The background elements do speak to his Persian-centric style: involving fruits such as the apple, which had represented fruitfulness and love; flowers within the subject's hair and décor; and even a distinctly-stylised cat. Sadiq's portfolio of portraiture, involving royalty, women, and historical moments, became a foundation of subject matter for, once again, the painters who would come after him.