Youth Seated by a Willow; Single Page Illustration

A new aesthetic developed under the socially and economically conscious Shah ’Abbas I (reigned 1587–1629). Single polychrome paintings of elegantly clad youth were produced in considerable number during the 1600s, primarily for people with means who collected them and had them mounted in albums. Instead of functioning as portraits, the images of these courtly figures express ideals of youth and beauty. This young man’s lavish sash and turban enriched with costly gold thread proclaim his high status.