The Old man and the Youth
Painting by Riza-yi 'Abbasi Iranian
Calligrapher Nur al-Din Muhammad Lahiji
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.
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