Lot n° 283
Estimation :
3000 - 5000
EUR
Imposing signed ta'zieh painting, the battle... - Lot 283 - Ader
Imposing signed ta'zieh painting, the battle of Kerbala, Iran, 20th century
A monumental quadrangular scene painted in oil on coated canvas, consisting of two horizontal panels, depicting a scene from the Battle of Kerbala centered on the figure of 'Abbas, Husayn's half-brother, grandson of the Prophet, who splits the body of one of the members of the opposing Umayyad army with the blade of his sword. Around it are several small scenes: those on the left illustrate various martyrs of Husayn's clan, himself depicted rescuing his nephew Qasim, whose body has been pierced by arrows; those on the right contrast Paradise, where these martyrs end, with the Underworld, where the Umayyads are gathered around a monstrous creature. Several inscriptions in Arabic: two religious formulas "Ma Sha'a Allah" (repeated twice), literally "What Allah has willed" and "Nasrun min Allah wa Fathun Qarib", literally "A help from God and victory is near" and three signatures of the artist Husayn Hamadani (1926-2008)
Approximate size of each panel : 80 x 330 cm
In the state : seams, restorations, holes.
The Battle of Kerbala in Iraq was an important conflict related to the succession of the Prophet Muhammad. It opposed on October 10, 680 (10 of Muharram 61 H), the Sunni Umayyads in power for almost twenty years, to the Shiites represented by the family of 'Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet. In this battle, Husayn, the second son of 'Ali, was killed. The event became a strong marker of the opposition between Sunnis and Shiites, the latter commemorating each year the martyrdom of their imam during the festival of Ashura. The importance of this event in the Shiite faith has also given rise to a form of religious theater called ta'zieh. This is a true expression of Iranian popular religiosity in the form of performances or narrative accounts that can be supported by large paintings like this one, which are nailed by the reciter to the wall of the place where he is, often a local café. These works of popular imagery are referred to as ta'zieh paintings or qahveh khâneh (coffee) paintings. Alongside many Persian legends, the Battle of Kerbala remains the favorite subject of these paintings, which are often signed. In this regard, we can mention the signed work of Abdallah Musavvar kept at the Metropolitan Museum of New York (2019.73) or that of Abbas al-Musavi kept at the Brooklyn Museum of New York (inv. 2002.6).
Bibliography:
- DIBA L.S. and EKHTIAR M., Royal Persian paintings, the Qâjar Epoch 1785-1925, 1998, pp. 276-278.
- https:// www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/818842 (page accessed 9/05/2022).
An important Qajar ta'zieh painting of the Battle of Karbala, Iran, 20th century, signed
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