Muin Musavvir

Over 300 miniatures and drawings attributed to him survive. He was a conservative painter who partly reversed the advanced style of his master, avoiding influences from Western painting. However, he painted a number of scenes of ordinary people, which are unusual in Persian painting. Muin was born in Isfahan and probably spent all of his life in this city. He enjoyed a long and successful career stretching from around 1630 to 1693.

• Name — Mo'en Mosavver • Native Name — معین مصوّر • Born — 1610s • Birthplace — Isfahan, Safavid Iran • Died — 1693 • Place of death — Isfahan (probably), Safavid Iran • Years Active — 1630–1693 • Style — Persian • Illustration — Muin Musavvir: Rostam kills Sohrab, Shahnameh by Ferdowsi, 1649. British Museum

He is notable as a master of illustration paintings especially figures, and compositions depicting banquet and battle scenes. He specialized in illuminated manuscripts and border decorations. He illustrated animals and landscapes and other Aqa Mirak styles with significant virtuosity. He mostly used watercolor in his painting and remained faithful to the Isfahan school and Reza Abbasi. Other prominent painters influenced him, including Behzad, Mohammadi, and Sadiqi Beg. He had several prominent pupils. Some of his manuscripts are signed by them. He was a contemporary and friend of famous painters including Shafi' Abbasi.

• Illustration — Standing Portrait of Abbas the Great with one attendant, attributed to Mo'en Mosavver, dated 1632/33 • Illustration — Archer, version of this painting by Reza Abbasi • Illustration — Portrait of Reza Abbasi, 1673 • Illustration — Shah Ismail I watches his troops defeat the Musha'sha leader Sultan Fayyad, created c. 1688 • Illustration — The battle of Merv between Shah Ismail I and Shaybani Khan, created c. 1688 • Illustration — Lacquer pen box, the only one known to have been painted by Muin • Illustration — Woman with Indian headdress, from an exemplar of the Shahnameh, 1648