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The Old man and the Youth

Painting by Riza-yi 'Abbasi Iranian
second quarter 17th century
Not on view
Mounted on an album page below a calligraphy signed by Nur al-Din Muhammad Lahiji, these two drawings form a single composition depicting an old man dressed as a dervish pursuing a youth with a wine bottle and cup. Although the drawings are ascribed to Riza-yi 'Abbasi, the quality of line here is more rigid and less sure than that of the master. The image of an old man yearning for a youth finds parallels in Persian mystical poetry. The line of poetry above the drawings refers to the virtue of a young male on the verge of manhood, but may be an ironic reference to the youth in the drawing.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Old man and the Youth
  • Artist: Painting by Riza-yi 'Abbasi (Iranian, ca. 1565–d. 1635)
  • Calligrapher: Nur al-Din Muhammad Lahiji
  • Date: second quarter 17th century
  • Geography: Attributed to Iran, Isfahan
  • Medium: Ink, transparent and opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
  • Dimensions: H. 5 in. (12.7 cm)
    W. 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm)
  • Classification: Codices
  • Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1925
  • Object Number: 25.68.5
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
The Lovers, Riza-yi 'Abbasi Iranian, Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper
The Lovers
Painting by Riza-yi 'Abbasi
dated 1039 AH/1630 CE
Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi, Muhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi Iranian, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi
Author Muhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi
dated 741 AH/1340–41 CE
Man in a Long-sleeved Coat, Riza-yi 'Abbasi Iranian, Ink on paper
Man in a Long-sleeved Coat
Riza-yi 'Abbasi
ca. 1598
"The Concourse of the Birds", Folio 11r from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds), Habiballah of Sava Iranian, Ink, opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper
"The Concourse of the Birds", Folio 11r from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds)
Painting by Habiballah of Sava
Author Farid al-Din `Attar
ca. 1600
"The Feast of Sada", Folio 22v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, Abu'l Qasim Firdausi Iranian, Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper
"The Feast of Sada", Folio 22v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp
Author Abu'l Qasim Firdausi
Painting attributed to Sultan Muhammad
ca. 1525

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