Imam 'Ali and Sons with a Lion
Isma'il Jalayir was a prolific and versatile court artist of mid-19th century Iran. Although primarily known for his portraits of the ruler Nasir al-Din Shah (1848–96) and his prominent ministers, he also created a body of religious images. These include compositions like this example showing the first Shi’ite Imam, Imam ʿAli, his two sons, Hasan and Husayn, and his close companions, probably Qanbar and Salman-i Farsi (the first Persian to convert to Islam). Here, Jalayir inserts a lion, a widely used symbol of ʿAli, that peers out at the viewer.
Artwork Details
- Title: Imam 'Ali and Sons with a Lion
- Artist: Isma'il Jalayir (Iranian, active ca. 1858–81)
- Date: 1860s
- Geography: Made in Iran
- Medium: Ink on cardboard
- Dimensions: H. 24 in. (61 cm)
W. 17 3/4 in. (45.1 cm) - Classification: Codices
- Credit Line: Purchase, 2017 NoRuz at The Met Benefit, 2018
- Object Number: 2018.500
- Curatorial Department: Islamic Art
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Isma'il Jalayir
ca. 1880
Isma'il Jalayir
ca. 1860
Aqa Buzurg Shirazi
1840's
ca. 1850
dated 1268 AH/1851–52 CE
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