{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O97147"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O97147/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF6960/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF6960/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AF6960","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BD5624","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JV6869","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O97147/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O97147","accessionNumber":"707-1876","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"Portrait of Fath 'Ali Shah","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"Painting in oils was introduced into Iran after 1600, when the country had strong commercial links with Europe. The technique seems to have continued in use during the troubled period that followed the Afghan invasion in 1722. It burst back into life under the Qajar dynasty, who re-united Iran in the 1780s and 1790s. The first great patron was the second ruler of the dynasty, Fath 'Ali Shah (reigned 1797-1834), who had numerous pictures of himself made for his own palaces and as diplomatic gifts. The founder of the dynasty, his uncle Agha Muhammad Shah, had been castrated as a child by his father's enemies and was considered repulsively ugly. Fath 'Ali Shah therefore had himself portrayed as a virile, youthful man, with a slim waist and a magnificent beard.","physicalDescription":"Full-length portrait of the Qajar ruler Fath 'Ali Shah, probably by 'Abdallah Khan. Iran, probably Tehran, 1797-1834.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Abdullah Khan","id":"A17268"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oil on canvas","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[{"text":"Qajar","id":"AAT21708"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2006AF6960","2006BD5624","2017JV6869"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"SHLN","id":"THES49063"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Painting","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Iran","id":"x30220"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Tehran","id":"x35420"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1797-1834","earliest":"1797-01-01","latest":"1834-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"233.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"118.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions of framed painting. Frame consists of wooden batten mouldings nailed to the edges of the painting.","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"When the painting was purchased, it was described as being, \"From the Shah's palace at Tehran.\"\r\n\r\nNOTE: This painting was not shown at the first venue of the <i>Palace and Mosque</i> exhibition (National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC).","historicalContext":"\"When a new dynasty, the Qajars, emerged at the end of the eighteenth century, portraits in oils began to assume a highly political function.  The founder of the dynasty, Agha Muhammad (died 1797), had been castrated as youth by his father’s enemies, and his successor, Fath ‘Ali Shah (ruled 1797-1834), was keen to emphasize his masculinity.  As a way of doing this, he commissioned numerous portraits of himself that showed him as slim-waisted, youthful and heavily bearded ... Some were sent abroad as diplomatic gifts, and many were placed in his palaces, where they were flanked by paintings showing either an enormous entourage, including many of his sons and grandsons, or harem women engaged in the entertainment of their lord ...\"\r\nTim Stanley, <i>Palace and Mosque</i>, p.72","briefDescription":"Full-length portrait of the Qajar ruler Fath 'Ali Shah, probably by 'Abdallah Khan. Iran, probably Tehran, 1797-1834.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Tim Stanley (ed.), with Mariam Rosser-Owen and Stephen Vernoit, <i>Palace and Mosque: Islamic Art from the Middle East</i>, London, V&A Publications, 2004","id":"AUTH351313"},"details":"p.72, plate 87","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Persian Royal Portraiture and the Qajars</i>, Robinson, B.W., Qajar Iran, Mazda, California, 1983,1992"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Persian Oil Paintings,</i> Robinson, B.W., V & A Small Colour Book 20, 1977\r\n\r\n\r\n"},{"reference":{"text":"Diba, Layla S. (Ed.) <i>Royal Persian Paintings: The Qajar Epoch, 1785-1925 </i> London, 1998","id":"AUTH353276"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Moya Carey, <i>Persian Art. Collecting the Arts of Iran for the V&A</i>, London, 2017, p.103."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"B.W. Robinson and G. Guadalupi, <i>Qajar: La pittura di corte di Persia</i>, Milan, 1982, p. 125."},{"reference":{"text":"Jennifer Wearden and Patricia L. Baker. Iranian Textiles. London: V&A Publishing, 2010.","id":"AUTH406622"},"details":"p.17, fig. 6","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Fath 'Ali Shah Qajar","id":"AUTH386852"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Jameel Gallery \r\n\r\nPortrait of Fath Ali Shah\r\nIran, probably Tehran\r\n1800-30\r\n\r\nThe painting of portraits in oils was introduced into Iran in the 17th century, when the country had strong links with Europe. The tradition survived the political disturbances of the 18th century, and burst back into life under the Qajar dynasty. Fath Ali Shah had numerous portraits of himself made for his own palaces and as diplomatic gifts. \r\n\r\nOil on calico. Signed by Abdullah Khan\r\n\r\nMuseum no. 707-1876","date":{"text":"Jameel Gallery","earliest":"2006-07-20","latest":null}},{"text":"PORTRAIT\r\nPortrait of Fath Ali Shah by Abdullah Khan.\r\nPERSIAN; early 19th century. Oil on calico.\r\nFrom the Shah's Palace, Teheran.","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"Painting. Oil on calico. Full-length portrait of Fath Ali Shah by Abdullah Khan. From the Shah's palace at Tehran. Persian. Early 19th century. H. 7ft 7in, W. 3ft 9in. Bought 3l 6s.","date":{"text":"Inventory of Art Objects 1876-78","earliest":"1876-01-01","latest":"1878-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["707-1876"],"accessionNumberNum":"707","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1876,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-05","recordCreationDate":"2004-03-18","availableToBook":false}}