The painting attributed Muhammad Hashim is the ink-and-wash drawing titled "Crouching Lion in a Landscape", signed "Muhammad Hashim". This artwork represents the nim-qalam i.e half-pen and half monochrome wash drawing tradition that flourished in late Safavid and transitional workshops as a response to European graphic imports.Rather than relying on vibrant pigments, the artist has used a highly controlled palette of browns, greys, and blacks to model the beast's resting form against a minimalist atmospheric wilderness.The lion's anatomy from the heavy, textured layers of its mane to the underlying tension in its shoulders is defined through a combination of delicate, repeating brush strokes and soft tonal washes that build a realistic sense of weight and physical presence.The painting is set within a sparse atmospheric terrain where the lion is framed by inner marbled borders and wide, gold-speckled blue margins, a luxury mount characteristic of late Safavid royal album called muraqqa.The artist’s signature, "Muhammad Hashim," is elegantly integrated into the composition .
The depiction of the lion in a stationary, crouching pose rather than actively hunting or engaged in combat shifts the focus of the painting from raw physical violence to a study of quiet, internal discipline. In the cultural landscape of late Safavid and early transitional Iran, the lion carried profound symbolic weight. It served a dual purpose firstly,as symbol of imperial sovereignty and royal strength ,secondly, as a sacred Shi'ite icon represention of Imam Ali honoured as the ultimate symbol of justice ,bravery and wisdom and the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad(PBUH).
This painting also reflects the socio-political realities of the late Safavid era. As imperial patronage shifted away from massive, wall-sized palace murals and grand state-sponsored manuscripts, artists adapted by channeling their mastery of detail into intimate, highly personal album folios. Through this lens, the crouching lion becomes a metaphor for survival, quiet resilience, and dignity during a period of dynastic transition.
The lion has long served as a symbol of strength and royal authority. Over time, the lion became widely associated with courage, guardianship, and sovereign power. This symbolism later made the lion an ideal figure for royal and national emblems.
