Portrait of Sarkhan Beg the Table-steward
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Gouache |
| Current Location: | The British Museum, London, United Kingdom |
| Location History: | Created originally in the royal Safavid capital of Tabriz (modern-day Northwestern Iran). It was later mounted into a detached album leaf (muraqqa) along with other works by master painters before eventually being acquired by the British Museum in 1930. |
As follows from The Portrait of Sarkhan Beg the Table-steward, the notions of status, elegance, and refinement were very important for the Persian royal culture. Despite the fact that the person shown in the portrait was presented as a table-steward, one can see that the man represented in the portrait looks like a nobleman. It means that being a table-steward in the Persian royal culture was considered prestigious and political. Moreover, The Portrait of Sarkhan Beg the Table-steward demonstrates the cultural traditions of Persia in terms of representing individuals in their elegant manner without demonstrating any emotions via the use of facial expressions and body language. Besides, the attention paid to the decoration and textiles proves the significance of balance and intellectuality of Persian culture within Islamic tradition. In general, one can speak about the fact that the painting shows how important qualities such as devotion and loyalty are within the context of Persian royal culture. Namely, The Portrait of Sarkhan Beg the Table-steward reveals the connection between personal identity of a person and the hierarchy of his social status. In conclusion, The Portrait of Sarkhan Beg the Table-steward is a unique illustration of elegance, order, and social structure of Persian court life.