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Reza Abbasi - Life

Reza Abbasi - Life: Encyclopedia II - Reza Abbasi - Life

He is considered to be one of the foremost Persian painters of all time. He received his training in the atelier of his father, Ali Asghar, and was received into the workshop of Shah Abbas I at a young age. Many of his surviving works depict handsome youths, often in the role of saqi, or "wine pourer." Frequently the youth are the focus of the admiring gaze of an older man - a manifestation of the Persian tradition of appreciating youthful male beauty - an esthetic sensibility that was raised to the level of spiritual ecstas ...

Reza Abbasi: Encyclopedia II - Reza Abbasi - Life

Reza Abbasi - Life

He is considered to be one of the foremost Persian painters of all time. He received his training in the atelier of his father, Ali Asghar, and was received into the workshop of Shah Abbas I at a young age. Many of his surviving works depict handsome youths, often in the role of saqi, or "wine pourer." Frequently the youth are the focus of the admiring gaze of an older man - a manifestation of the Persian tradition of appreciating youthful male beauty - an esthetic sensibility that was raised to the level of spiritual ecstasy in the Sufi teachings of the time.

At the age of about 38 he received the honorific title of Abbasi from his patron, but soon left the Shah's employ, apparently seeking greater freedom to associate with simple people. In 1610 he returned to the court and continued in the employ of the Shah until his death.