Sani ol molk


Abu'l-Hasan Khan Ghaffari Kashani , also known as Sani ol Molk was an Iranian painter, miniature and lacquer artist and book illustrator.

Life and work

In 1829 he became a pupil of Mihr 'Ali, the best of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar's court painters. His 1842 portrait of Mohammad Shah Qajar secured him a position at the court. He spent the years between 1846 and 1850 in Italy, studying the works of Italian masters. Upon his return to Persia, he was appointed naqqāšbāšī of the court and became involved with the newly established Dar ul-Funun, the first modern institution of higher learning in Iran. In 1853, he supervised a team of 34 painters in creating 1,134 pages of miniature illustrations for a Persian edition of One Thousand and One Nights, now housed at the Golestan Palace library. In his last years he assumed more administrative responsibilities, editing government periodicals and supervising printing establishments in the country. In 1861, he received the title Sani ol Molk, by which he is commonly known.
He was the uncle of Mohammad Ghaffari, a court painter during the reign of Nasser ad-Din Shah.

Image gallery

Illustrations of ''One Thousand and One Nights''

Miniature illustrations of a Persian version of One Thousand and One Nights, created by Sani ol Molk and other artists under his supervision. 1853, Golestan Palace library.