On May 3, London auction house Roseberys will auction nearly 400 lots of artefacts from the Middle East and the wider Islamic world.
Among the highlights is this early Qajar portrait of Shah ‘Abbas I, estimated at £7000-10,000. Distinguishable by his distinctive moustache, he is regarded as one of Iran’s great rulers from the earlier Safavid dynasty. Dated 1228AH/1813-14AD, this large 4ft 10in x 3ft 10in (1.49 x 1.17.m) oil was painted during the later reign of Fath ‘Ali Shah (r.1797-1834), who was a keen patron of life-size oil portraits, particularly of himself and his sons. Shah ‘Abbas is accompanied in the portrait by a young Safavid prince who is identified as Suleyman Mirza, the son of king Tahmasp I (r.1524-76) who was murdered by his half-brother in 1632.