Man with Prayer Beads

Painting by Muhammad `Ali
mid-17th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 462
In the mid-seventeenth century, followers of the famous Riza-yi 'Abbasi continued his practice of producing drawings of single figures in a landscape for inclusion in albums. The jutting rocks, heavily drawn leafy plants, and delicate quality of line differ from Riza’s lighter, more subtle draftsmanship. This figure portrayed fingering his prayer beads may be a sufi, or mystic, or may simply be reciting prayers or the ninety-nine names of God.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Man with Prayer Beads
  • Artist: Painting by Muhammad `Ali
  • Date: mid-17th century
  • Geography: Attributed to Iran, Isfahan
  • Medium: Ink, transparent and opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
  • Dimensions: H. 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm)
    W. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
  • Classification: Codices
  • Credit Line: Gift of Alexander Smith Cochran, 1913
  • Object Number: 13.228.34
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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Painting by Muhammad `Ali - Man with Prayer Beads - The Metropolitan Museum of Art