An example of artistic exchanges between 17th century Europe and Iran
Journée d’études Cartier – Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris – 3rd February 2022
The Persian painter Shafī’ ‘Abbāsī, active between 1640 and 1669, seems to be the only 17th century artist to have specialized in depictions of flowers. His work is intimately linked to European ornamental engravers active in France, England and the Netherlands from the second half of the 16th century. Indeed, several of his drawings are direct copies of European engravings, and others are largely inspired by them.
Through the work of Shafī’ ‘Abbāsī and other anonymous drawings, this intervention proposes to analyse the practices of copy and assimilation of botanical ornaments engravings, as well as the diffusion of naturalistic floral motifs in the art of Safavid Iran.