Buying guide · 7 min
Buying Persian miniature paintings
Editorial team · updated 2026-09-29
Originals, copies and prints
Many workshops paint new works in historic styles, which is a living tradition. Prints and giclée copies are also sold, sometimes with a little hand-added gold.
How to check
Look at the surface at an angle and under a magnifier. Hand painting shows brush marks and layered colour; prints show a dot pattern.
Supports
Paper, card, bone and camel-bone plaques are common. Old 'ivory' pieces may need legal checks.
Signatures
A signature names a painter but does not prove age. Ask whether the piece is new, and get it in writing.
Related photographs
Representative photographs, not of any specific catalogued object. Sources on the credits page.