This pen box is decorated with bold thuluth calligraphic inscriptions and interlaced floral arabesques. The particular floral ornament, as well as the epigraphic style, is typical of Iranian metalwork dating to the late 15th and early 16th century.
The inscriptions contain prayers to Ali, the son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, as well as blessings to the owner, and the name of the engraver (Hasan Ramadan Shahi).
The interior of the box is divided into compartments to hold reed pen(s), the inkwell, and a sandpot. The high esteem of the calligrapher and his art is demonstrated by the lavish nature of this carefully crafted object, which would have both safeguarded and displayed his tools.
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Artwork Details
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Title:Pen Box (Qalamdan) with Inscriptions
Calligrapher:Hasan Ramadan Shahi
Date:early 16th century
Geography:Attributed to Iran
Medium:Brass; chased, engraved, and inlaid with silver
Dimensions:Box: L. 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm) H. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm) D. 4 in. (10.2 cm) Spoon: L. 4 1/2in. (11.4cm) H. 3/8 in. (1 cm) D. 9/16 in (1.4 cm) Wt. 0.14 oz. (4 g)
Classification:Metal
Credit Line:Fletcher Fund, 1975
Accession Number:1975.350.1a–c
Pen Box
Of high interest not only as a rare example of late fifteenth-century Mamluk metalwork (indeed apparently the only penbox of the period known), but also for its inscriptions and signatures of two different artists, this piece presents several puzzling phenomena.
Assuming that the piece is of Egyptian manufacture (which seems indicated both by the shape of the piece and by the general character of the decoration), one is surprised at the markedly Shi'ite character of the content of the inscriptions. They include not only invocations on the twelve imams, but also a certain prayer to 'Ali that was employed especially often on Iranian objects of the later fifteenth and earlier sixteenth century (such as the series of Timurid-to-early Safavid brass ewers of bulbous body and cylindrical neck, at least some of which were made at Herat). One is tempted to explain these inscriptions by the fact that the artist whose signature appears on the lid refers to himself as naqqash farisi ("Persian artist"): this terminology strongly suggests that he was not working in Iran. But if he were a "Persian artist," it would be difficult to explain why he produced a characteristically Egyptian shape and decoration, including the style of the calligraphy. And how the content of these inscriptions may have pleased a Sunni (highly likely in Egypt) patron, is also an interesting question.
And finally it is not clear what may have been the roles of the two artists who signed the piece on its outside and inside, respectively: Katabahu wa sana'ahu Mawla Yusuf Naqqash Farisi and 'Aml Hasan Ramadan Shahi. There is no distinguisable difference in style or workmanship between the interior and exterior as one might expect if the two parts were done by different craftsmen. One is thus left in a state of puzzlement over the distinction between the common term 'ami ("work of") and the relatively rare sana'a ('to manufacture'). This problem has arisen also in the cases of certain signed wood objects. The presence of the third term, katabahu, which certainly indicates the designing of the caligraphy (this likelyhood being especially reinforced by the term naqqash ["artist"]), creates further difficulties in determining the exact role of Hasan Ramadan Shahi.
Manuel Keene in [Berlin 1981].
Inscription: - On the lid there are two poems in Arabic in thuluth script: Victory from God and a near conquest at hand. Bring to the believers the good news of Muhammad, the best messenger. O `Ali! O God! Pray on Muhammad al-Mustafa (the chosen), Imam `Ali al-Murtada (with whom God is pleased), Imam Hasan al-Rida, Imam Husayn the martyr in Karbala, Imam `Ali b. Zayn al-`Abidayn, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (the lion), Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (the truthful), Imam Musa al-Kazim (the constrained), Imam `Ali Musa al-Rida, Imam Muhammad al-Taqi (the pious), Imam `Ali al-Naqi (the pure), Imam al-Hasan al-`Askari (the soldier), and Imam, the proof of the everlasting, Muhammad al-Mahdi (the guided) the possessor of time. God, the exalted, the almighty has told the truth. Call `Ali the revealer of miracles, you will find him a comfort in (times of) distress, Every care and sorrow will be dispelled, Muhammad... Through your divine friendship, `Ali, `Ali, `Ali, `Ali, `Ali. Written and made by the Mawla Yusuf Naqqash Farisi
- On body in Persian: To its owner happiness, security and life as long as a dove coos, (may there be) an outcome of obvious goodness... until the Day of Judgement.
(Translation by Yasser al-Tabba, 1978; corrections and additions by Linda Komaroff, 1982).
- Interior panel: Made... month of Ramadan or Work of Hasan Ramadan Shahi.
(Translation by M. Keene)
Inscriptions within medallions on cover are unread.
On lid (large inscription) is a Persian poem in thuluth script:
بداده ام رونق مردم ساختم کان قلم تا کنم بر صفحه دل حساد رقم
On lid (small inscription) in Arabic in thuluth script:
اللهم صل علی محمد المصطفی و امام علي المرتضی و امام حسن الرضا و امام حسین الشهید بکربلا و امام زین العابدین و امام محمد الباقر و امام جعفر الصادق و امام موسی الکاظم و امام علي بن موسی الرضا و امام حجة القائم الدائم محمد المهدي صاحب الزمان صدق الله العلي العظیم.
ناد علیاً مظهر العجائبي تجده عونا لک في النوائبي
کل هم و غم سینجلي بنبوتک یا محمد بولایتک یا علي یا علي یا علي یا علي
نصر من الله و فتح قریب و بشر المؤمنین یا محمد و علی خیرا البشر
Name of metalworker in Arabic in thuluth:
کتبه و صنعه .... فارسي
On the sides in Arabic in thuluth script:
لصاحبه السلامة و طول العمر ما ناحت حمامة/ ابدا سرمدا الی یوم القیامة
And in Persian in thuluth script:
عاقبت خیر باد
The name of metalworker is written inside in thuluth script:
عمل حسین رمضان شاهي
The inscription also read by Yassir al-Tabba as:
beginning with the upper right hand corner نصر من الله و فتح قریب و بشر المؤمنین بمحمد خیر البشر یا علي اللهم صل علی محمد المصطفی و امام علی المرتضی و امام حسن الرضا و امام حسین شهید بکربلا و امام علی زین العابدین و امام محمد الباقر و امام جعفر الصادق و امام موس الکاظم و امام علی موسی الرضا و امام محمد التقیي و امام علی النقي وامام الحسن العسکري و امام حجة القادم الدلیم محمد المهدي صاحب الزمان صدق الله العلی العظیم ناد علیا مظهر العجائبی (العجائب) تجده عونا لک فی النوائبی کل هم و غم سینجلی .... یامحمد بولایتک یا علی یا علی یا علی یا علی
کتبه و صنعه مولا یوسف نقاش فارسی
لصاحبه السعاده و السلامه و طول العمر ما ناحت حمامه عاقبة خیر باد .... الی یوم القیامه
[ Hagop Kevorkian, New York, in 1943]; sale, Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, November 19, 1975, nos. 184, 205 (to MMA)
Ann Arbor, MI. University of Michigan. "Metalworks from Islamic Lands," February 25, 1943–March 11, 1943, no. 57.
Berlin. Museum für Islamische Kunst, Pergamonmuseum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. "The Arts of Islam. Masterpieces from the M.M.A.," June 15, 1981–August 8, 1981, no. 58.
University of Michigan. "Rackham Building February 25–March 11, 1943." In Metalwork from Islamic Countries. Ann Arbor, 1943. no. 57, p. 15.
"Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York." In The Arts of Islam. Berlin, 1981. no. 58, pp. 150–51, ill. (b/w).
Schimmel, Annemarie. "Islamic Calligraphy." Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, n.s., vol. 50, no. 1 (Summer 1992). p. 19, ill. fig. 23b (b/w).
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