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(1) Najaf `Ali [Najaf `Ali; Aqa Najaf]
( fl c. 1815–60). A student of the renowned bird-and-flower painter `ALI ASHRAF, Najaf `Ali worked in an archaizing style reminiscent of work produced in the 18th century. Almost all his works are signed ya shah-i najaf (‘O King of Najaf’), a punning invocation to `Ali, the Prophet’s son-in-law and first Imam of the Shi`ites, who was buried at Najaf. This signature is found on several penboxes (e.g. Berne, Hist. Mus., MK 987, dated 1854; London, V&A, 849-1889; and Tehran, Mus. Dec. A.). Several unsigned pieces (e.g. Berne, Hist. Mus.) are similar in style and can be attributed to him. In his later work, such as a mirror-case (priv. col., see Robinson, 1989, fig. 12), he often imitated the style of his more famous brother (2) Muhammad Isma`il.
Part of the Isfahani family
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