Exquisitely painted portrait miniature,with gilt highlights and with inscription, of Mirza Agha Khan Nuri, Etemad al Dawla (1807-1865), the prime minister (Sadr-e Azam) of Persia under Nasser al Din Shah Qajar from 1851 to 1858..  Mounted to a board, 22 x 16cm, framed and glazed.
 
Our Persian expert tells us that this is a 20th century example of Qajar revival-art by a highly accomplished artist. No attempt has been made to age it, or a fake date added to make it look older as someone attempting to make a forgery would have done.  As with contemporary versions of high quality antique Chinese porcelain, a work like this stands on its own as a work of art, made using the same high-levels of skill  and artistry as earlier pieces, and lacking nothing in comparison with them except the mystique of age.  Another water colour depicting Mirza Agha Khan Nuri is in the Malek Library in Tehran.
 
We can provide a biographical note of Mirza Agha Khan Nuri to anyone who is interested - he had a fascinating life.