Ghahvehkhaneh or "coffeehouse" painting genre.
Religious narrative painting depicting scenes from the Battle of Karbala which commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Husayn. This tragedy, which is at the core of Shi'ite belief, occurred on the tenth of the month of Muharram, A.H. 61 (October 10, A.D. 680) when Imam Husayn was killed by the Sunni caliph Yazid in the Karbala desert (70 miles from Kufa, Iraq). In the painting, the individual scenes from the battle and the life of Imam Husayn are presented from left to right, but without logical progression. The central figure of the painting is 'Abbas (Husayn's half brother and standard bearer), mounted on a white horse stabbing a member of Yazid's army. Depicted on the left are scenes from the battle showing the agonies of Husayn and his followers. On the right are scenes from Paradise including Husayn and his followers above corresponding scenes from the underworld populated by Yazid and his supporters. The expressive, charged scenes depicted in gory details with vibrant colors seek an emotional response from an audience at a ta‘zieh theatrical performance, where paintings such as this one served as pardeh (curtains or portable backdrop paintings) for a reenactment of the Karbala tragedy.
The name of the patron and city of production (Darvish 'Abbas Uvaysi, Isfahan) as well as the artist's name ('Abbas al-Musavi) are found in two important inscriptions in the painting.Inscribed: The name of the patron and city of production (Darvish 'Abbas Uvaysi, Isfahan) as well as the artist's name ('Abbas al-Musavi) are found in two important Persian inscriptions in the painting.Signed: In Persian: "Darvish Abbas Uvaysi, Isfahan"
Fayum portrait of a boy. Tempera on Cypress panel (Cupressus sempervirens). Face almost full front; floral wreath around head, necklace. Right hand held in front of body grasping cup. Left hand held upright grasping a garland (?) with tie strings. Painted border around entire painting.
Condition: In general; good. Small spots of paint missing and some slightly loose.
Fresco of draped male figure facing right; each hand has attribute that has now become paint. Figure intentionally framed by several bands of color, ranging from pink to yellow.
Condition: Stable condition although cracked diagonally across the upper chest and in the right upper quadrant. Pieces missing from center of lower half. Entire piece set in plaster and frame.
Fragmentary painting on whitewash over mudplaster of the upper part of a female figure identified through the remains of a text above the back of her head as Thepu, mother of Nebamun of Thebes. She has an ointment cone on her head; one arm is raised, the other hand holds a menat. The hair is black; she wears over an undergarment a white diaphanous shawl which leaves one breast bare. Outline irregular.
Fayum portrait of a man. Encaustic. Facing front, brown eyes, black hair and beard, white tunic. Gilt wreath painted above forehead. Gilt background.
Condition: Excellent. Short split at top center. Another larger one at right side. Remains of cartonnage at lower edges. Some paint missing from area around left ear. Excellent quality. Panel shows marked evidence of shrinking and crack is lengthened. Paint starting to chip.
Panel painting on this wooden board, so-called Fayum painting, of a young woman with close-fitting black hair, pink skin, black eyebrows, dark brown eyes, red lips, gold earrings dressed in a white garment which is only summarily indicated. Strap over her right shoulder; background light blue-grey. Encaustic technique.
Condition: Wooden panel warped and split length-wise in several places; paint missing in numerous spots baring wood underneath. Some deposit of brownish foreign matter (like drips of mud) on hair and face primarily.
