A Portrait of Prince Sultan husayn Mirza Jalal Al-Dawla, signed by Mubarak Ibn Mahmud Al-Qajar (Grandson of Fath 'Ali Shah Qajar), Persia, circa 1880
<p>Gouache
27 by 20cm.
</p><p>Gouache heightened with gold on paper, the young prince standing in an interior with books and writing implements at his feet, a sheet of paper inscribed "dabiri be-khatt ast-o danesh be-hush agar 'aql dari darin hardo kush", a foliate medallion in the top left hand corner inscribed "shabih-e navab-e ashraf-e vala jalal al-dawla sarkar ruhi fadahu", a bow and arrow in his hands
</p><p>inscriptions
</p><p>In the gold cartouche at upper left:
shabih-e navab-e ashraf-e vala jalal al-dawla sarkar ruhi fadahu
'The portrait of the Highness, the Noble, the Eminent, Jalal al-Dawla, to whom my soul is devoted'
</p><p>The artist's signature:
raqam-i Mobarak ibn Mahmud al-Qajar
'drawn by Mobarak son of Mahmud of the Qajar family'
</p><p>On the notebook on the floor, a couplet:
dabiri be-khatt ast-o danesh be-hush agar 'aql dari darin hardo kush
'the secret of secretarial work is in excellent handwriting, and knowledge and understanding; were you wise you would labour in both'
</p>
Prince Sultan Husayn Mirza, born in 1868, was the eldest son of Prince Mas'ud Mirza Zill al-Sultan, the governor of Isfahan under Nasir al-Din Shah.
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