Arcadópolis
Man in a Fur-Lined Coat
Reza Abbasi, c. 1600
What you see
Seated on the ground with his legs folded, the young man leans against a golden cushion on the right and tilts his head toward his shoulder, eyes lowered. He wears a striped white turban with a plume ornament, a purple robe with a red sash and, over his shoulders, a green coat lined with dark fur. At his feet lie yellow fruit and a pomegranate.
Above him, a slender golden tree bends into an arch. The small scene, edged in light blue, is mounted on a vast margin of gold arabesques on dark blue. Watch for the black locks falling over his cheek and the brown stain high up in the background.
About Reza Abbasi
Reza Abbasi (c. 1565–1635), also called Aqa Riza, was the leading artist at the court of Shah Abbas I, who gave him the honorary title “Abbasi” in 1603. Although he also illustrated manuscripts, his specialty was single pages for albums, with one or two elegant figures drawn in a flowing, calligraphic line. He signed and dated many of his works, and his style influenced many later Persian painters, such as his pupil Mu'in Musavvir and his own son, Shafi Abbasi.
More by Reza Abbasi
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