Fathali Shah

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It is a portrait of Fat′h-Ali Shah of Persia, from the Qajar dynasty. He reigned from 1797 to 1834. He became known as a lover and supporter of art. It was during his rule and thanks to his involvement that Persian arts, including painting, had its rebirth.
In this piece, two of my great passions have met: art of the Middle East and History. I have been inspired by a number of his contemporary portraits. He is presented in standing pose, commonly found in portraits made of him. The imperial crown jewels of Persia depicted in the painting can be found in “The Treasury of National Jewels” in Iran.
The little rug, on which the king stands, was painted from the Persian carpet of traditional pattern. The surface of the top part of the wall behind the king has been modeled on the façade of the Ducal Palace in Venice. Additionally, the wall is surmounted by the cresting evoking that of the Venetian Palace. In those apparently unimportant elements, I was seeking a bridge between the East and the West, and Venice itself is the greatest blend of the best of both worlds.