Life and achievements of Abu’l Hasan Ghaffari Mustawfi

Although chiefly known as a historian and court secretary (Mustawfi), Abu’l Hasan Ghaffari apprenticed as a painter for ten years, but his father objected to his profession as a painter. Therefore, he apprenticed as a court secretary (Mustawfi) which profession of his family. He, then, entered the service of Karim Khan as court secretary. In this profession, he wrote Gulshan Murad, Chronicle of Zand Period. In this chronicle, he indicated to painters who have worked in the court of Karim Khan. These painters were Muhammad Sadiq, Muhammad Hadi, Muhammad Baqir and Aqa Zaman. It seems that Abu’l Hasan has worked with them on courtly projects, but who was master of Abu’l Hasan? Abu’l Hasans broad style perfectly interpret the ethos of his age. Under Afsharid period lived two distinguished painters: Muhammad Ali, the son of Muham-mad Zaman and Muhammad Ali, the grandson of Ali Quli Jabadar. Muhammad Ali the son of Muhammad Zaman, painter of lacquerwork but Muhammad Ali, the grandson of Ali Quli Jabadar was a laureate painter (Naqqashbashi) of Nadirshah court. It seems the Abu’l Hasan apprentice of this Muhammad Ali, because of the subject of his paintings and compositions. His style closely followes that employed by Muhammad Ali. In addition, Abu’l Hasan in his chronicle Gulshan Murad suggested to Muhammad Ali. According to his suggest Muhammad Ali’s death on 1269h., in the city of Sari in Caspian province. All these suggested that Abu’ l Hasan has learned painting from Muhammad Ali Naqqashbashi. Furthermore, Muhammad Ali was the father and master of the Muhammad Bar court painter of Karim Khan Zand. The subjects of Abul Hasan’s paintings was portrait of his families and portrait of kings of Iran. His paintings, of coherent subject and style, indicates that they were made in Zand or Qajar court. This historical framework supports this view that these paintings were collected at the court in Shiraz or Tehran during the period of Karim Khan and Aqa Muham-mad Khan and this suggests that Abu’l Hasan, later, has gone to Qajar court. Aqa Muhammad Khan transfer artists from Zand court to his court. It is known, exactly, that Aqa Muhammad Khan commissioned illustration of Chalduran and Karnal war of Chehil Setum Palace to Muhammad Sadiq, one of Abu’l Hasan colleague in the Zand court. Muhammad Asif, known as Rustam al-Hukama, the historian of the Qajar period in his history Rustam al-Tawarikh listed court painters of Karim Khan Zand. He records the names of Muhammad Sadiq, Muhammad Baqir, Mirza Muhammad (Muhammad Hadi) Mirza Hasan (Abu’l Hasan Mustawfi) and Aqa Zaman. Mirza Hasan or Abu’l Hasan Mustawfi Ghaffari Kashani, Known from a number of watercolors of historical subjects. The contribution of Abu’l Hasan to the evolution of Persian painting in Qajar era cannot be ignored. His paintings provided the foundation for the apogee of life-size painting under the Qajar dy-nasty. Indeed, the great majority of Abu’l Hasan paintings produced during the last decade of twelfth cen-tury. Further, the return to the conventions of two-dimensionality characteristic of early Qajar paintings was initiated in paintings of Abu’l Hasan and other painters. It is said, the interest in the expression of emotion and psychological modes of Abu’l Hasan paintings influenced of thirteen century persian painting in the works of Abu’l Hasan Sani al-Mulk and his Pupils. Paintings of Abu’l Hasan can be divided into three groups Painting from portrait of his family and paintings from portrait of Persian kings and portrait from Zand Rulers. From first group portrait of Mu’zz al-Din Mustawfi Ghaffari and portrait of Abdu’l Mutaleb Ghaffari grandfather of Abu’l Hasan must be noted. From second group portrait of Nadir Shah in many verssion, and portrait of Shah Abbas II, and portrait of Jahan Shah Qara Quyunlu and so on, can be noted. From third group portrait of Karim Khan and other Zand Rulesr must be noted. The adaptation of Europeanized style (frangi-sazi) by Abu’l Hasan Ghaffari is illustrated in his paintings from European compositions. Abu’l Hasan portraits were probably intended for inclusion in an album of historical personalities. In this article discussed all of achieve-ments and life of Abu’l Hasan Mustawfi Ghaffari in Zand and Qajar Periods.