Two Qajar paintings en grisaille, depicting birds perched on a flowering branch Persia, mid-19th...

Two Qajar paintings en grisaille, depicting birds perched on a flowering branch Persia, mid-19th Century watercolours on paper, both bearing signatures in nasta'liq and naskhi respectively, laid down on album pages with borders of coloured paper paintings 187 x 112 mm., 130 x 66 mm.; album pages 265 x 190 mm.; 223 x 155 mm.(2) Footnotes: The smaller painting bears the signature in nasta'liq in red ink mashq-e lutf'ali, 'Drawn by Lutf'ali'. No other recorded work by Lutf'ali Shirazi is signed in the same way. Lutf'ali Shirazi (d. AH 1288/AD 1871-72), was a Qajar painter of the mid-19th century, known particularly for his depiction of flowers and nightingale (gul va bulbul), producing watercolours, manuscript illustrations and also lacquer work. His recorded work, often signed in a form of tughra, is dated between AH 1257/AD 1841-42 and AH 1282/AD 1865-66. See M. A. Karimzadeh Tabrizi, The Lives & Art of Old Painters of Iran, vol. 2, London 1990, pp. 561-68); and for his lacquer work, D. Khalili, B. W. Robinson and T. Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands: Part One, London 1996, pp. 206-13. The second painting bears a signature in naskhi script incorporating an invocation to the fifth Shi'a Imam: ya baqir al-'ulum, 'Oh the one well-versed in Knowledge!'. Muhammad Baqir Isfahani is recorded to have signed his works in this way. Karimzadeh Tabrizi records him as a painter of the Zand period from Isfahan, who worked in watercolour, siyah qalam and in lacquer and was skilled in depicting portraits, animals and flower and bird motifs. He signed in various ways including the invocation to the 5th Imam, as here. His recorded work is dated between AH 1160/AD 1747-48 and AH 1197/AD 1782-83. See M. A. Karimzadeh Tabrizi, op. cit., pp. 659-63. For a discussion on the identity of Muhammad Baqir, see N. Khalili, B. W. Robinson and T. Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands: Part One, London 1996, pp. 75-76, 114 & 115, where a lacquered pen box signed in the same manner is dated AH 1141/AD 1728-29 (p. 114, no. 75). Important Notice to Buyers Some countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: R R This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing