Mohammad Zaman

Mohammad Zaman ibn Haji Yusof Qomi, known as Mohammad Zaman (; fl. 1650 – c. 1700), was a famous Iranian calligrapher and painter of the Safavid period.

Life Despite being a well-known artist in mid and late 17th-century Safavid Iran, his life is shrouded in mystery, it was previously claimed that the painter Mohammad Zaman was born in Kerman, Persia to Haji Yusuf, and received his education in Tabriz by Nicholas Martinovich and Fredrik Martin, it is likely that they mixed up the painter with another man with the same name. The date and place of birth of the Safavid painter Mohammad Zaman remain unknown. Similarly, the claim that he was sent by Shah Abbas II of Persia to Rome to study Italian painting, and there he converted to Christianity cannot be confirmed. The Persian paintings signed or attributed to Mohammad Zaman in fact reference Flemish engravings instead of Italian sources.

The artist Mohammad Zaman made paintings for manuscripts such as Nizami's Khamsa or the Shahnameh as well as some paintings with European subject matter. Furthermore, he was influential in training several other painters, including Mohammad-Ali and Mohammad-Ebrahim. 1663–1664 C.E. Blue Iris Ink, opaque watercolor on paper; gilded borders Sheet: 13 1/16 x 8 3/8 in. (33.2 x 21.3 cm) Brooklyn Museum Isfahan, Iran 1663–69 CE Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi Opaque watercolor, ink, silver and gold on paper 18 1/2 x 11 1/8 in. (47 x 28.2 cm) Metropolitan Museum of Art Likely Isfahan, Iran 1664–65 CE A Night-time Gathering Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper Page: 13 1/8 x 8 1/4 in. (33.3 x 21 cm) Mat: 19 1/4 in x 14 1/4 in. (48.9 x 36.2 cm) Metropolitan Museum of Art Iran or India 1675–76 CE Bahram Gur proves his worthiness by killing a dragon and recovering treasure from a cave (in Khamsa of Nizami) Painting on paper 8.6 x 7.1 in (21.9 x 18.1 cm) The British Library Safavid Iran 1675–76 CE Episode from the Indian Princess’s story: King Turktazi’s visit to the magical garden of Turktaz, Queen of the Faeries (in Khamsa of Nizami) Painting on paper 9.9 x 7.1 in (25.2 x 18 cm) Painting on paper 8.3 x 5.1 in (21 x 13 cm) 1675–1676 CE Salm and Tūr organise the murder of their brother Īraj, from the Book of Kings (Shāhnāma) Pigment, gold pigment, and ink on paper 408 mm x 262 mm Chester Beatty Library Isfahan, Iran 1676 CE Majnun visited by his father Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Lent by The Art and History Collection Isfahan, Iran 1680 CE Judith with the Severed Head of Holofernes Ink, gold and opaque watercolor on paper; mounted as an album page on card Page: 13.1 x 8.2 in (33.5 x 21 cm) Painting excluding floral paneling: 7.9 x 6.6 in (20.1 x 17 cm) The Khalili Collection of Islamic Art Isfahan, Iran

Judith with the Severed Head of Holofernes, The Khalili Collection of Islamic Art. Six of his paintings from 1678 to 1689 were of Biblical scenes. A painting of Judith with the severed head of Holofernes, currently in the Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, is signed "Ya sahib al-zaman", one of the titles of the 12th Shia Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi. Mohammad Zaman used this phrase in place of a signature, and on that basis the painting is attributed to him.

Farangi-Sazi Mohammad Zaman favored night scenes, and his work combined multiple influences, drawing subjects from European paintings but with Mughal or Kashmiri stylistic touches. This style combines Persian iconography and compositional elements with more European elements, such as chiaroscuro, atmospheric effect, and “Western” perspective. The style could also be seen in his forest scenes, which include exaggerated forms, heavy contrasts between light and dark, and picturesque mountains and streams.

Mohammad Zaman's depiction of the tale of Bahram Gur and the Indian Princess features wingless faeries, different from other depictions of the scene. The text adjacent to the image is a section of the Tale of the Indian Princess, which ends with a description of food and wine for a banquet in the King and Queen's pavilion. However, Mohammad Zaman's depiction does not include this pavilion scene, instead depicting King Turktazi and the Queen of the Faeries.