The Evolution of Persian Painting: From the Fall of the Safavid Dynasty to the Rise of Qajar Art

The Qajar court, especially under Fath-Ali Shah and Naser al-Din Shah, became a major patron of the arts. Artists were commissioned to create lavish portraits, murals, and scenes of royal ceremonies. These images often served propagandistic functions, glorifying the power and legitimacy of the Qajar monarchs. This shift toward portraiture and monumental representation demonstrated a fundamental change in the role of painting in Persian society.