The painting given above is a self portrait by Muhammad Hasan Afshar Urmieh, a well known painter from Qajar era Iran. Born in Urmia (northern Iran) in a Qizilbash family of Azerbaijani descent, Hasan acquired his initial skills at Urmia and Tabriz (then a renowned centre of art in Iran) while working as a apprentice in workshops under regional masters, gaining mastery over traditional Persian miniature painting techniques, using ink and water colour on paper. In 1818, Hasan joined the royal atelier at Tehran as a junior artist, contributing his skills in creation of monumental artworks reflecting power, grandeur and a versatile persona of the monarch. This marked the beginning of his six decade long career, in which he served three consecutive Shahs (kings) of Iran. It was during these career days that Muhammad Hasan came in touch with Western prints and paintings which had made their way from Europe and Russia to the Qajar court on the roads of diplomatic ties. This triggered a gradual shift in his painting style from a highly ornate, stylized and flat traditional Persian forms to a more naturalistic portrayal, borrowing European elements of realistic shading, three dimensional effect and linear perspective, drawing inspiration from masters like Peter Paul and Rembrandt. This is reflected in this painting of himself where effectively applies European realism while keeping intact aspects of traditional Iranian art and culture. It was this versatility of Hasan, which made him draw positive attention from even art critics like Xavier Hommaire De Hell- French explorer and art critic, making him one of the few Iranian painters to have acquired admiration from him.
Looking at the self-portrait, you can really feel how Muhammad Hasan Afshar wanted to be seen. He’s sitting there on the floor, kind of tucked into this amazingly detailed coat that must have taken forever to sketch out, with all those tiny swirling patterns. But then his face is what actually grabs you, he’s got this very calm, direct stare that looks right at you. He is holding his brush to a canvas, showing himself in the middle of painting another younger looking guy, or maybe it's a younger version of himself, which is a pretty cool, clever touch. The colors are pretty soft and laid back, mostly earthy browns and a light blue sky behind him that makes the whole thing feel quiet. It’s just a really genuine glimpse into an artist's world, capturing both his skill and his personal pride perfectly.
