Pen Box attributed to Muhammad ibn Muhammad Mahdi

Muhammad ibn Muhammad Mahdi

Not on view

The marbled floral and leaf-like designs on this penbox distinguish it from other lacquerwork of the period which is largely figural. The floral medallions and leafy motifs are punctured with gold markings suggesting that the design was pounced onto the surface of this object. Like other works by Muhammad ibn Muhammad Mahdi, this penbox demonstrates a striking affinity with the art of manuscript illumination and book-binding. The shimmering effect of the surfaces was likely achieved through the use of mica.

Pen Box attributed to Muhammad ibn Muhammad Mahdi, Muhammad ibn Muhammad Mahdi, Papier-mache; painted, gilded, and varnished

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.