Artwork
Prince Holding a Falcon
Prince Holding a Falcon is an oil painting. It dates from 1820 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The falcon, a bird associated with hunting and sovereignty, underscores the sitter's status as a trained warrior and reinforces notions of power and prestige.
The painting shows a young prince clutching a falcon, a motif that in 19th-century Persian portraiture often signified martial prowess and royal authority. The falcon, a bird associated with hunting and sovereignty, underscores the sitter's status as a trained warrior and reinforces notions of power and prestige. Rendered in oil on canvas in 1820, the work was created in Iran and later entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is displayed as a portrait of an unnamed nobleman.
Its iconography blends personal likeness with symbolic attributes that communicate elite identity and cultural values of the period.
Technique & Style
The painting Prince Holding a Falcon, dated 1820, is executed in oil on canvas, a common support for portraiture in early-19th-century Iran where the work was produced. The anonymous artist employed the traditional oil-painting technique, building thin layers of pigment to achieve subtle modeling of the prince's features and the bird's plumage. The composition presents a formal, dignified pose, with the prince clutching a falcon against a muted background, emphasizing linear clarity and balanced spatial arrangement.
History & Provenance
The painting titled Prince Holding a Falcon was created in 1820 in Iran. It is an oil-on-canvas portrait attributed to an anonymous artist, depicting a prince accompanied by a falcon. Currently, the painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The specific commission details and the full chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are not recorded in available sources.
Overview
This oil painting, titled Prince Holding a Falcon, depicts a distinguished male figure within an arched architectural setting. He is adorned in elaborate, brightly colored robes, featuring rich patterns and ornamentation. A falcon, a traditional symbol of nobility, rests on his gloved hand, while he holds a folded piece of fabric in the other. The work emphasizes the subject's regal appearance and the detailed craftsmanship of his attire.
Artist & collection
