Persian Travelogue: A Diary of a Journey through the region of Fars
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Ink |
| Current Location: | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
| Location History: | According to the Baron de Bode, Louise de la Marnierre (1781-1840), often mentioned as Madame de La Marinière, presented it to Muhammad Shah Qajar, presumably sometime between 1838 and 1840; likely acquired by Rudolf Gelpke (1928-1972) during one of his stays in Iran in 1958, 1960, or 1963-71; after 1972, with Rudolf Gelpke's descendants in Switzerland; purchased by Sam Fogg, Ltd. at Christie’s, London 26 October 2017, Sale 14218, Lot 19; acquired by the Museum in 2019, purchased from Sam Fogg, Ltd., London. |
The painting is a part of a Persian Travelogue by Louise de la Marinierre, the French tutor to the Qajar princes, who travelled through the region of Fars, in present-day southwestern Iran, in the mid-1830s. The manuscript provides a combination of both text and visual records, and it is written in elegant Nasta’liq script. In her journey, she was accompanied by a scribe, an artist named Ahmad Naqqash and a donkey. The work here documents the ancient site of Persepolis and its architecture, which was encountered during their journey. The painting is divided into two sections, the upper sections presents a bearded King who is seated on a throne under a canopy. Two attendants are standing behind him, one of them holding a whisk or a possible ceremonial object in his hand. A figure is shown standing in front of the throne and addressing the king, which suggests a Royal court room setting. The lower section has rows of human figures depicted as supporting the structure above them. It highlights the legitimacy and support of the authority of the king by his population. The illustration is rendered with bold and precise lines, which are two main characterstics of Ahmad Naqqash’s artistic style.