King Ardavan and other Participants Dispute the Hunt's Spoils, 2021
23ct Gold leaf, Rabbit skin glue and acrylic hand painted miniature on Hahnemühle William Turner paper
45.5 x 28.5 cm
17 7/8 x 11 1/4 in
17 7/8 x 11 1/4 in
Edition of 3 plus 2 AP
Copyright The Artist
Further images
A suite of four miniatures taken from the ancient epic poems Shahnameh, or Persian Book of the Kings introduce a further element of subversion. Rezaei has selected illustrations from specific...
A suite of four miniatures taken from the ancient epic poems Shahnameh, or Persian Book of the Kings introduce a further element of subversion. Rezaei has selected illustrations from specific accounts of Iran’s ancient history (at the time areas of modern day Afghanistan fell within the Persian Empire) that are relevant to the current political climate in the middle east. She has manipulated the images, both digitally and by hand, adding and removing elements thus altering the messages of the original works.
A triumphant king sits astride his pure white steed, having slain a fierce Lion. Rezaei has replaced two of the original figures with portraits of British generals based in India during the beginnings of the British Empire (1858 to 1947). Hunting was a popular pastime during this period and it was largely the British who drove the Indian Lion to the brink of extinction. The Asiatic lion was also common in Iran and served as the country's national emblem and appeared on the Iranian Flag. It too was hunted almost to extinction with the last few sightings recorded in the mid 1940’s.
In this miniature the British intruders do not engage with the King or each other, they have just entered the picture plane, uninvited and arguably unwelcome guests. The original flags borne by the king’s attendants have been replaced with recognisable modern standards; British & Russian (the ‘old’ superpowers) and American & Chinese (the current ‘new’ superpowers). All four countries introduced by Rezaei have ‘disputed the spoils’ of their own wars. These disputes continue with no end in sight. Who will be the next protagonist to join the conflict?
A triumphant king sits astride his pure white steed, having slain a fierce Lion. Rezaei has replaced two of the original figures with portraits of British generals based in India during the beginnings of the British Empire (1858 to 1947). Hunting was a popular pastime during this period and it was largely the British who drove the Indian Lion to the brink of extinction. The Asiatic lion was also common in Iran and served as the country's national emblem and appeared on the Iranian Flag. It too was hunted almost to extinction with the last few sightings recorded in the mid 1940’s.
In this miniature the British intruders do not engage with the King or each other, they have just entered the picture plane, uninvited and arguably unwelcome guests. The original flags borne by the king’s attendants have been replaced with recognisable modern standards; British & Russian (the ‘old’ superpowers) and American & Chinese (the current ‘new’ superpowers). All four countries introduced by Rezaei have ‘disputed the spoils’ of their own wars. These disputes continue with no end in sight. Who will be the next protagonist to join the conflict?