A Qajar painted hide shield (dhal) Persia, dated AH 1336/ AD 1917-18A Qajar painted hide shield (dhal) Persia, dated AH 1336/ AD 1917-18of convex form with everted rim, six applied steel bosses and steel mount of foliate form with engraved inscription, leather cushion and straps to reverse, painted in polychrome with four cusped medallions depicting the Prophet and Ali, Hassan and Husayn riding to battle all on a ground of interlinked cartouches filled with floral sprays and perching birds, the central roundel with painted inscriptions 57.5 cm. diam. max.Inscriptions: to the centre of the roundel, hasb al-farmayesh-e janab-e mustatab aqa-ye haji mirza abu'l-hasan na..., 'By the order of His Excellency, the Gracious, Mr Haji Mirza Abu'l-Hasan Na... (?)' To one side, 'amal-e kamtarin bandeh-ye dargah naqqash-bashi sanah 1336, 'The work of the smallest servant of the court, the Chief Painter (naqqah-bashi), the year 1336 (1917-18).' To the other three sides, the basmalah; Qur'an, chapter LXI (al-saff), part of verse 13 and the names God, Muhammad, Fatimah, 'Ali, Hasan as Husayn. To the small cartouches, the names God and the Fourteen Innocents, ending with 'God's benedictions [be upon them].' To the metal piece, O Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq!. To the reverse, madad ya 'ali!, 'Help O 'Ali!'.A painter referring to himself as 'Chief painter' of this date could be 'Ali Akbar Muzayyin al-Dawlah, who was one of the first students to be sent to France together with other painters and studied at the School of Fine arts in 1275 (1858-9). On his return, he taught various subjects at the College of Arts and different schools in Tehran as well as writing books on the art of painting. He was honoured with the title naqqash-bashi (Chief-painter) by Nasir al-Din Shah in 1288 (1871-2). He was awarded the medal of Saint Stanislas by the Emperor of Russia in 1914, as well as medals from Napoleon III of France, Wilhelm I of Germany and Queen Victoria. He taught many Qajar painters, including Kamal al-Mulk Ghaffari and died in AH 1341 (AD 1922-3). For further information see Karimzadeh Tabrizi, The Lives & Art of Old Painters of Iran, vol.1, 1985, pp. 377-8 and M. Bamdad, Dictionary of National Biography of Iran, 1700–1960, 2, 1966, p. 426.Important Notice to BuyersSome countries e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of Iranian-origin works. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.