Dar Sayeh-i Haram
Ardeshir Mohassess Iranian
Not on view
The fifth Qajar ruler, Muzaffar al-Din Shah (r. 1896–1907), is shown surrounded by a harem of four women. Though Mohassess uses only black ink, his line quality is vigorous and captures the intensity of his criticism on the subject: monarchy in Iran. This subject is central to most of his caricatures and is also one widely explored in Persian manuscripts of the Shahnama (Book of Kings.)