A page from the Nasr al-Din Shah Album, with a painting by a Persian artist working in the manner of Muhammad Zaman, after a European print depicting the Holy Family Persia, the painting late 17th Century, the album page circa 1888A page from the Nasr al-Din Shah Album, with a painting by a Persian artist working in the manner of Muhammad Zaman, after a European print depicting the Holy Family Persia, the painting late 17th Century, the album page circa 1888gouache on paper, laid down on an illuminated page with gold-sprinkled inner border, outer border with polychrome and gold decoupage flowers, cartouches and palmettes on an orange ground painting 247 x 192 mm.; album page 435 x 286 mm.The distinctive borders of this page originate from the now-dispersed album made in 1888 for Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar (reg .1848-96), probably to mark the fortieth anniversary of his accession to the throne. The dedication page, with large bold nasta'liq inscription, was sold at Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 26th April 2012, lot 219. The page facing this, the centre with a stylised decoupage floral composition, appeared at Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 1st April 2021, lot 33. The practice of laying down earlier paintings (mostly Safavid miniatures) on album pages with finely-illuminated borders was a common practice in the Qajar period, and it seems that our page (as well as some of those from the Nasr al-Din Shah Album offered at auction) exemplify this practice. For examples and discussion, see G. Fellinger (ed.), L'Empire des Roses: chef-d'oeuvres de l'art persan du XIXe siecle, Lens 2018, pp. 68-71, nos. 62, 63 and 64.Other folios from the Album illustrate this, and of particular relevance for our page, some are European-influenced and/or of Christian subject-matter, including one of four lots sold at Christie's (Islamic Art and Manuscripts, 10th October 2000, lots 88, 89, 90 and 91). Lot 90 included one page with an illustration described as 'the Blessed Virgin' (no illustration available), and three with scenes from the life of Christ. One (depicting a man with hunting dogs) was inscribed ya sahib al-zaman, indicating that someone at least saw a connection with Muhammad Zaman's work, however fanciful. A page from the Album (Sotheby's, Arts of the Islamic World, 9th October 2013, lot 5), had a 16th Century Shahnama illustration in the centre).Other examples of pages from the Album included a large section comprising 27 folios (Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 6th October 2011, lot 265); and six bifolia, all with calligraphic compositions, Christie's, 21st April 2016, lots 130-135.Muhammad ZamanMuhammad Zaman (d. circa 1700) was one of the first Safavid court painters to imitate European painting styles and perspective. Little is known of his life, but he worked at the court of Shah 'Abbas II (reg.1642-66). Works attributed to him include miniatures added and restored in Shah Tahmasp I's copy of Nizami's Khamsa (British Library inv. Or.2265). On the strength of these royal commissions it can be assumed that Muhammad Zaman was at some point attached to the Royal atelier or kitabkhaneh (see A. Ivanov, Persian Miniatures, in E. Kostioukovitch (ed.), The St. Petersburg Muraqqa', Milan 1996, p. 35). European painting and prints circulated widely in 17th Century Persia (see A. Welch, Shah Abbas & the Arts of Isfahan, New York 1973, p. 148). A miniature by Muhammad Zaman of a biblical scene in the Fogg Art Museum (inv. 1966.6), dated AH 1100/1689 AD, depicts the Return from the Flight to Egypt (Welch, op. cit. pl. 72, p. 108). The origin of that miniature has been traced to a mid-17th Century engraving by the Flemish artist Lucas Vosterman, though based on an original painting by Rubens, (Welch, p. 117). The painting in our page is an almost exact copy of an engraving of 1646 by Pierre Daret, depicting the Holy Family, with Joseph on the left holding a book, and on the right the Christ Child seated in the Virgin's lap, after the French painting Simon Vouet (see an example in the British Museum (1841,1211.39.16).Examples of works attributed to Muhammad Zaman are few, and often have Christian subjects.A painting of the Madonna and Child after a European model, signed by the artist and dated AH 1093/AD 1682-83, sold at Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 7th April 2011, lot 261.Sotheby's, Arts of the Islamic World, 20th April 2016, lot 45, signed and dated AH 1087/AD 1676-77, depicting Shaykh San'an and the Christian woman.Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 1st April 2021, lot 20: depicting the Rest on the Flight into Egypt, with inscriptions, the name Muhammad Zaman, and the date AH 1076/AD 1665-66, described as 'by or in the mode of Muhammad Zaman'.A number of paintings by Muhammad Zaman were recently exhibited at the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, at the exhibition Pearls on a String: Artists, Patrons, and Poets at the Great Islamic Courts, and the subject of an essay in the accompanying catalogue by Amy Landau entitled 'Man, Mode, and Myth' (see Landau (ed.) 2015, pp. 157-194). See also E. Sims, 'Muhammad Zaman', in The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture, vol. 3, Oxford 2009, pp. 21-22.Important Notice to BuyersSome countries e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of Iranian-origin works. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.