Early Life and Career Ali Quli Istajlu, a pivotal figure in Mughal painting, was born in Kandahar (Afghanistan) around 1551. His early life remains shrouded in some mystery, but he emerged from the Ustajlu tribe—a Turkoman lineage known for its artistic traditions—and received an education under the tutelage of Shah Ismail II of Safavid Iran. This formative experience profoundly shaped his artistic sensibilities, exposing him to Persian art and culture’s grandeur and sophistication. The influence of Safavid aesthetics is palpable in his later works, demonstrating a masterful synthesis of div…