Portrait of the Poet Hafiz, folio from an album
16th-17th century
Description
This tinted drawing allegedly portrays the renowned Persian poet Hafiz (1315-1390). The seated figure is shown holding a handkerchief close to his eyes while placing his index finger in a book he is holding in the other hand. The folds of his clothes are voluminously shown. The drawing has no background but inscribed on top in Turkish: “This is the late Shaykh Khwaje Hafiz of Shiraz. Since he has been portrayed many times, he must have looked exactly like this.” The drawing is cut on both sides and placed in a rectangular frame as an album page with gilded marginal decoration. The drawing itself appears to have been the model for a painting in the album of Ahmed I compiled by Kalender Pasha around 1610. In that album the figure is reversed and the inscription is omitted. The figure is more stylized and wears shoes.
Dimensions
32.1 x 20.2 cm (12 5/8 x 7 15/16 in.)
Provenance
Sevadjian, Paris, sold; [through 2nd Vente Sevadjian, Paris, 20 March 1961, cat. no. 5]; to Edwin Binney, 3rd, 1961, bequest; to Harvard University Art Museums, 1985. Footnote: Portland Edwin Binney, "Turkish Treasures From the Collection of Edwin Binney, 3rd", Portland Museum of Art, Oregon, 1979, p.86
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