Engelbert Kampfer (1651-1716) was born in Lemgo. Kampfer was a German traveler known for his tour of Persia between 1683 and 1693. In 1681, he visited Upsala in Sweden, where he was offered inducements to settle. His desire for foreign travel led him to become secretary to the second embassy of the Swedish ambassador, whom Charles XI sent through Russia to Persia in 1683.
He wrote a book about his travels (later translated into Persian) published in 1712. This book is important for its Persian observations and description of the Persian court of Shah Suleyman Safavi. His book was a chief source of Western knowledge about Persia and Persian society during the Safavid period. Kampfer also collected materials and information on Isfahan society.
He mixed careful observation with a strong desire to make these observations confirm the European conception of Persia. Of all early travelers in Persia, Kampfer was probably the most acute observer. He came to Isfahan in 1684 as a physician in the service Swedish mission. He stayed in Isfahan for twenty months. He dedicated his time to all sorts of scholarly activities, Including Cartography, Botanical studies, and medical observations.
When he stayed in Isfahan, he wanted Jani -ibn Bahram Farangi-saz, a painter, to make him an album. His album is known as Album of Persian Costumes and Animals with some Drawings by Kampfer. This Album contains 44 paintings and drawings.
Its technique is painted ink and opaque watercolor on paper. This Album was produced in Isfahan, 1096 AH. Its size is 42,32cm* 20,26cm. Bounded in brown leather with gold gilt decoration. This article created a visual interpretation of paintings and drawings of the Album (Muraqqa). This article features two categories: one for paintings of men and women and another for paintings of animals. The first category interprets representations of humans, while the second focuses on animals.
1- Scene of two men dancing; the right man plays a stringed instrument while the other holds the scarf around his neck. Both men are wearing short clothes with decorations tied below each knee. Feathered hats adorn their heads.
2- Portraits of a Qizilbash and a woman; The man gazes opposite towards the woman seated upon cushions while placing a strand of flowers into her hair.
3- Portrait of Cavalryman; On horseback is depicted a man aiming his bow and arrow toward a Snake.
4- Trainer watching a competition between two wrestlers; To the left, the wrestlers are entangled, bare-chested, shaved heads, and shoeless, while the fully clothed trainer stands aside, holding a cloth in one hand. A purse hangs from the sash tied around his waist, while a large turban covers his head.
5- Double portraits palace usher on the right and the royal bodyguard on the left. Usher strands legs widely separated, holding an axe-like object in one hand while resting his other hand upon the sash tied around his waist. On opposite strands, the royal bodyguard is leaning against a long cane held in one hand while the other plays with the mustache. The bodyguard is dressed in a long robe with an elaborate, feathered headdress.
6- Doubled portraits of an Indian woman and a Georgian woman. Indian woman, left, holds a small, shallow cup in one hand and a large vessel in the other. A turban wraps around her head and a long shawl extends to the ground. Three strands of beads hang from her neck. While a translucent skirt drops over her pants tied at her waist by a long sash. The Georgian woman holds a piece of fruit in one hand and the other clutches her sash, tied around her waist. She wears a triangular-shaped hat, jacket, skirt pants, and heeled shoes.
7- Qalandar speaking to a young devotee. Qalandar, an itinerant Sufi, who learns and teaches during his travels, is shown bare cheated with strings of beads hanging around his neck and resting against a tree with his belongings (hat, stick, and reeded musical instrument) placed in front.
8- Portrait of a Sakinah, painted in a circular vignette. She gazes towards the right.
9 – Leyli tending to an emaciated Majnun, covered by only a cloth around his waist, lays upon Leyli, gazing up at her. Leyli dressed in a printed jacket, skirt, and pants, sits cross-legged, Supporting Majnun. Surrounding them rests a dog, gazelle, and rabbit.
The animal category examples are, 1 – Tow Antelopes, shown side by side. One stands tall, while the other lays on the ground, head turned facing upwards. 2 – A performing goat and spectators. This painting depicts five Tabrizi Men and a dog surrounding the performing goat. One man kneels playing a drum, while another sits beside a column with a goat balancing on top. Three other men gaze upon the event from either side. 3 – Two resting goats, the goats face each other, right goat rests on all fours with large antlers spread widely apart, while the other stands opposite grazing above, painted with significantly smaller antlers. 4 – Fighting rams, two men watch eagerly as the two rams hook horns. 5 – Two Iraqi (Tabrizi) goats are shown standing side by side, one stands tall, while the other bends down to eat some leaves. 6 – Rhinoceros standing in profile. 7- Two mountain rams are shown facing each other. The left ram appears smaller, kneeling submissively before the larger ram who stands tall with horns well defined. All of these paintings are inscribed.