The above is a pencil sketch portrait of Qajar ruler Naser Al Din Shah made by Mirza Ali Akbar, a well-known painter, portraitist, educator and photographer of the late Qajar era Iran, known by his title 'Mozayyan ed Dowleh'. Mirza Ali Akbar, a reputed graduate of the Ecole Des Beaux Arts academy in Paris, which still stands today with reputation, he played a major role in promotion and expansion of the art of photography after his return from France in 1867. This was the period when the tradition of 'Muraqqa' or albums of painted folios and images was in decline. Though photography had already been Introduction during the reign of Muhammad Shah (Naser Al Din Shah's father), it gained more prominence and developed techniques during this time period under the patronage of Naser Al Din Shah. Apart from photography, Ali Akbar also played an important role in forwarding and developing a school of expertized painters in easel painting during his years at Dar ol Funon, the most prestigious art academy set up by Naser Al Din Shah, serving as its principle painting instructor. Ali Akbar was among the few students who had been sent during the early years of Naser Al Din Shah's reign to learn techniques of art to France. With his return to Iran, Ali Akbar brought with him the realist style, which now were more evident in his artworks, along with realistic pencil sketching. The above pencil portrait is one of those famous examples. This famous portrait of Naser Al Din Shah now lies in the Abyaz Palace of the Golestan Palace complex at Tehran in Iran, now a world renowned UNESCO site.
Portrait of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, by Aliakbar Mozayyan-o-Dolleh, is more than the likeness of a nineteenth-century Persian monarch, it is a meditation on the fragile relationship between authority and humanity. The Shah is adorned with the emblems of sovereignty: the jeweled cap, ceremonial attire, and ornaments that proclaim status. Yet the artist avoids theatrical grandeur. Instead, the ruler's face dominates the composition, revealing eyes that appear thoughtful, almost burdened, as though conscious of the immense weight carried behind the symbols of power.
What strikes me most is the contrast between outward magnificence and inward vulnerability. History often remembers kings by their conquests, reforms, or failures, but portraiture reminds us that beneath every crown is a human being subject to doubt, ambition, loneliness, and the passage of time. The meticulous realism of the drawing preserves not only a ruler's appearance but also a fleeting moment of selfhood that political titles can never fully define.
To me, the portrait quietly suggests that power is ultimately transient, while character endures. Jewels tarnish, dynasties fade, and empires become chapters in history, yet the human face continues to ask timeless questions about responsibility, mortality, and legacy. In its silence, the artwork invites us to look beyond rank and ceremony, reminding us that every leader is first a person, and that the true measure of greatness lies not in the authority one commands, but in the humanity one leaves behind.
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By: Jyotirmaya Samanta
I think the mastery of pencil sketching is an excellent feature and to make portrait of such level the artisy clearly specified his devotion towards Naser Al Din Shah. His legacy is carried when he gave artists the place they deserve which really contributes to the art and carrying it forward for further generations.
