Like all portraiture, Safavid examples focus on the physical appearance and psychological state of their subjects, creating a more personal and immediate engagement between the viewer and image. However, they still followed the norms of Persian painting, which has always favored abstraction over representation. Even if more naturalistic than the poetically inspired figural images, Persian portraiture frequently oscillated between the real and the ideal, the specific and the generalized, evoking different readings and interpretations. This is the end of this Gallery Guide. Go back to the introduction. Additional resources.

Grand Vizier Shah-Quli Khan Signed by Hajji-Muhammad Iran, probably Isfahan, dated 1696 Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper Lent by The Art and History Trust   LTS1995.2.182

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