Reza Abbasi

Reza Abbasi, born Aqa Reza in Kashan, was the son of painter Ali Asghar. Entering the royal atelier of Shah Abbas I in Isfahan, he was honored with the royal name 'Abbasi' and became the leader of the celebrated School of Isfahan, decorating royal palaces like the Ali Qapu and the Chehel Sotoun.

Reza Abbasi revolutionized Persian miniature art by moving away from elaborate manuscript illustrations toward intimate single-sheet portraits and line drawings of courtiers, wandering dervishes, wrestling athletes, and calligraphy masters. His fluid, curving calligraphic line, dynamic drapery, and subtle psychological observation influenced Persian and Mughal painting for centuries.