45 – Mirzaba Baba Hosseini Al-Imami Al-Isfahani – Rajol Qajar

Biography

Mirza Baba Isfahani was a painter in the first half of the 13th AH during the Qajar period and one of the founders of the Qajar sculpture style and Qajar painting school, who was active in this field between 1821 and 1866 AH. He popularized the oil painting technique in Iran and is the first painter of the Qajar court. First, he worked as a Naqqash Bashi (painter) in the court of Karim Khan Zand, and after Aqa Mohammad Khan became the king, he worked in Tehran and applied various techniques and tricks in his art. At the end of his life, he became a Naqqash Bashi (painter) in the court of Fath-Ali Shah. He was a master of oil painting, Siyah Qalam and illumination. In some of these paintings, he has used a style similar to that of Mohammad Sadeq. Mirza Baba was also proficient in Gol-Botteh (floral) painting and simulation and was also a Qalamdan Negar (pen box maker).