Imam Ali 1800 euros
Qajar School, Iran
Reverse glass painting with gold leaf
Lacquered papier-mâché / Wood panel
Circa 1850A rare and luminous example of Persian devotional glass art, this piece depicts a holy figure (The Prophet or Imam Ali) in the traditional veiled iconographic style. The use of glass as a medium allows for a particular depth of color—the deep crimson background and the shimmering gold of the Mala'ika (angels) are intensified by the reflective surface.This technique was often used for Shamail : sacred portraits kept in private homes or nomadic shrines. The visible "craquelure" and organic weathering of the red background are characteristic of 19th-century binders, attesting to the piece's history as a rare survivor of this era.