One of the persistent shortcomings in the historiography of Iranian arts across various periods is the lack of attention to accurately documenting the lived experiences of artists. This oversight has resulted in a scarcity of reliable information regarding the personal and professional lives of artists from past centuries—even those of the highest stature—leaving many aspects of their biographies obscure. Therefore, a critical requirement in contemporary research on Iranian art is to identify and elucidate the various dimensions of the lives of artists from past centuries. One such figure is Mohammad-Kazem Naqqāshbāshi Isfahani, a celebrated lacquer painter and enamellist of the Qajar era and the son of NajafʿAli Naqqāshbāshi. Despite the significance of his and his family’s contributions to Qajar art, limited data about him are currently available. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to uncover new information regarding the personal and artistic life of this artist, based on historical documents. The primary research question concerns the key phases of his life and career, as well as the foundations of his artistic production. This study, categorized as fundamental and qualitative research, employs a descriptive-analytical method with a historical approach. Data were collected through library research, fieldwork, and the examination of historical documents, and analyzed inductively.

Based on newly identified documents presented here for the first time, this study reveals significant, previously unknown information about the artist. Mohammad-Kazem Naqqāshbāshi, born in 1233 AH (1817/1818 CE) in Isfahan, began his artistic training under his father around 1245 AH (1829/1830 CE) and commenced his independent career circa 1270 AH (1853/1854 CE). During the 1280s AH, his most significant artistic undertaking was the supervision and management of the restoration and renovation of Isfahan’s royal palaces. Given that the Safavid-era royal structures had deteriorated over time due to natural wear and historical events, local authorities deemed it essential to initiate extensive repairs. Entrusted with this project, Mohammad-Kazem restored several royal palaces over a period of several years, most notably the Chehel Sotoun Palace; traces of these Qajar-era renovations remain visible in these structures today. The successful completion of this mission significantly enhanced his prestige and elevated his standing among both the reigning monarch and the local rulers of Isfahan. In recognition of his significant artistic and social contributions, he was appointed by Naser al-Din Shah Qajar as the ‘Chief Painter of Isfahan’ in 1287 AH (1870/1871 CE), succeeding his father. He remained active in various fields, including lacquer painting, Persian miniature, enameling, calligraphy, oil painting, and textile painting, until approximately 1312 AH (1894/1895 CE). Meanwhile, his primary field of work was lacquer painting (including pen boxes and book bindings), which constitutes the majority of his surviving works. Furthermore, Mohammad-Kazem was one of the last major masters of enameling art in the Qajar period, following whose era this art declined in Iran. An examination of his extant artworks reveals his high level of proficiency in both Persian and European painting styles. A particularly significant finding of this study regarding his artistic activities pertains to the locations of his workshops. Mohammad-Kazem maintained at least two studios throughout his career; his primary workshop was situated in the Isfahan Bazaar, the precise location of which has been identified in this article, and remained in operation by his descendants for years after his death. His second studio was located within one of the chambers of the Chehel Sotoun Palace. The use of such a prestigious location underscores his elevated social standing among the local authorities in Isfahan at the time; his presence at the palace appears to coincide with the years during which he oversaw the restoration of Isfahan’s royal palaces. Furthermore, throughout his life, he enjoyed the patronage of royal and local authorities, including Nāser al-Dīn Shāh Qājār, Masʿūd Mīrzā Ẓell al-Solṭān, and Fatḥ-Alī Ṣāḥeb-Dīvān, with many of his works executed on commission for these notable figures. Mohammad-Kazem was also highly regarded by his contemporaries, including fellow artists and various social groups.



Furthermore, this study presents significant information regarding Mohammad-Kazem’s personal life and the continuation of artistic activities among his children and descendants, which will play a crucial role in gaining a deeper understanding of this artist. In particular, it elucidates the genealogical and kinship ties between Mohammad-Kazem and several renowned Iranian artists in the late Qajar and subsequent Pahlavi eras. Regarding his personal life, historical documents indicate that he married Fāṭemeh-Solṭān in 1262 AH (1845/1846 CE) and had four sons and one daughter. His eldest son, Mirzā ʿAbd al-Ḥossein Ṣaniʿ-Homāyoun—himself a well-known painter of the late Qajar period—became his artistic successor. In contemporary times, Master Shokrollah Saniʿzadeh, the most famous master of contemporary Iranian enameling art, is a descendant of Ṣaniʿ-Homāyoun. Mohammad-Kazem passed away in 1314 AH (1896/1897 CE) and was buried in the portico of the Darb-e Emām shrine in Isfahan.