A Princely Hunt

Unknown artist

Following the death of Shah Tahmasp in 1576 royal art patronage declined and artists sought outlets other than the court for their works. Artists increasingly made drawings that owners could include in albums that functioned like portable art galleries. One of the most influential masters in this period, Muhammadi of Herat, apparently served the Uzbeks, where he specialized in drawings of princely and rural pursuits in the countryside. Safavid artists, such as the one who drew this hunting scene, were inspired by Muhammadi’s technique and his choice of subject matter, though here the treatment of each figural group as a separate vignette lacks the coordination of Muhammadi’s original works.