Portrait painting from the Safavid dynasty, created by the distinguished artist Mohammad Zaman (fl. 1680 – c. 1700)

These two portrait paintings are matching portraits from a magnificent building dating back to the Safavid era (around the 10th century AH or the 16th century AD) in Isfahan, which were carved from plaster walls using a chisel and the surrounding area cleared to frame the paintings.

In the first painting, which is a portrait facing to the left, restoration has been done at several points due to peeling and color running from the plaster background. The painting technique involved outlining first and then coloring, and for the color, gold plating is also used in some parts.

Due to the style of work, these two works are attributed to “Mohammad Zaman”, the famous painter of the Safavid era. Most of Mohammad Zaman’s paintings were done in the Safavid court and on the plastered walls of palaces and court buildings, but the paintings on canvas of this renowned painter, done in the “FarangiSāzi” style also found in museums outside of Iran.