The first of the images of Shah Abbas the Great shown here is an undated and unpublished portrait in a private collection. If its provenance can be confirmed, it is a unique and important representation: especially since it was apparently painted from life, and by an Italian artist.
Abbas does indeed look very like John Cartwright’s 1600 description: the Shah was “of an indifferent stature, neither too high, neither too low. His countenance very stern, his eyes fierce and piercing, his colour fwaiffy [whatever that means!], his muftachees on his upper lip long, with his beard cut close to his chin, expressing his martial disposition, and inexorable nature, [so] that at the first a man would think to have nothing in him, but mischief and cruelty. And yet he is of nature courteous and affable, easy to be seen and spoken withal; his manner is to dine openly in the company of his greatest courtiers”. Click here and here to read more about, and from, Cartwright.
In support of the idea of the painting being Italian, there were certainly European artists at Abbas’ court. In 1618, for example, the Spanish ambassador Figueroa recorded how a Greek artist, ‘Jules’, had contributed to some of the wallpaintings in the garden-palace at Tajurabad. Jules was by then recently deceased, but had been trained in Italy before he entered the employ of Shah Abbas. Figueroa writes of how it was “easy to see, that [the wallpaintings were] the work of a European”. Not only could one recognise “the Italian manner” – one could also clearly see the comportment and dress of Christian women from Greece.
Looking in more detail at the ‘Italian painting of Abbas’, I perhaps have some concerns about the man’s headgear (often a good way to date paintings); and about the collar and the arrangement of the fur. I am however not expert enough to myself either challenge or confirm the attribution. The ‘Italian painting’ is certainly much more life-like than the 1602 engraving of Abbas produced by the Flemish engraver Domenicos Custos. If Custos’ portrait had been from life, it would have been the earliest we have of Abbas. It’s not though: just look at the very Turkish turban that “Abbas” is wearing.
Regardless of their authenticity, both of the images underline the importance of Shah Abbas. Custos even included his engraving in the “Atrium heroicum“, a 16th century Who’s Who, including 171 rulers, nobles, military leaders, important businessmen and other celebrities from Europe and the Orient (click here to see more).