A YOUTH IN A GARDEN Qajar Iran, 19th century  A fragment of a tinted drawing with black ink, pencil, red pigment and gold on paper, the youth portrayed with his fur collar and sumptuous turban, sash, quiver, boots and shamshir sword, all heightened with gold, standing next to a tree with a wine cup in his hand looking at the gathering of birds, a mesmerised servant holding a jug at the bottom of the composition, the back blank, 16cm x 6cm. The finesse, the style and the composition of this drawing indicate a strong link to the Safavid school of Isfahan, which saw its Golden Age with the exquisite works produced by Reza 'Abbasi (1565 - 1635). The attention to details, the subtle depiction of human feelings and the use of the stippling effect to create shades and texture on the plumage of the birds and on the cheeks of the youth are perfectly in tune with 'Abbasi's tradition. However, the paper composition reveals a later dating. For an interesting comparison between this drawing and an earlier, Safavid one, please check the previous lot.