Number 1703
Type Workshop
Material Wool
Style Pictorial
Origin Tabriz
Size 167 x 120
Age 1909
Interesting fact: this rare pictorial depiction of the last Qajar monarch is sepia tinted with no other colors because it is inspired by / copied from a "black and white" photograph, as they were back in the very early 1900s.
It was woven in the famed Hajji Jalili atelier in Tabriz.
We see the young Shah in his regal attire in a solemn pose. He would have posed for hours and hours for the photographer. Who knows, perhaps an artist was painting him simultaneously.
The inscription at the bottom reinforces this historical background. It says:
The glorious king of the Constitution, Soltan Ahmad Shah Qajar, may God preserve his rule.
You can't only be a customer of Hadi Maktabi. While his main purpose is rug dealing, he starts with story telling and ends with history selling. That's what I call high-end art curating and closing it all with an entertaining friendship. George El Hani, CEO Levica, Lebanon π±π§
I first met Dr. Maktabi as a lecturer on carpet history and was captivated by his passion for the subject. Only later I knew him as a dealer, though even in our financial transactions, Hadi has been a gentle guide and friend. He has understood my taste and interests and made wonderful suggestions, but never in a pushy way. That is to say I have enjoyed working with him on several levels and wish to continue our excellent relations and dealings far into the future. A. Harvey Pincis, formerly Dar Al Athar Al Islamiyyah Museum (Kuwait), Latvia π±π»
βYou donβt just buy a rug from Dr Maktabi... Itβs an experience, a rich one! You learn about history, culture & art. And more importantly you feel euphoric!β Dr Siamak Abolhassani, Expert Medical Care Clinics, Victoria, Australia π¦πΊ