This penbox, by one of the great lacquer painters of the second half of the nineteenth century, is decorated in the artist's signature gul-u-bul-bul (rose and nightingale) style in a palette of beige, gold and black. It contains a small spectacle case with the same decorative motif that fits into the sliding compartment. The inscription, which appears at the top and bottom edges of the lid, tells us that it was made for the Qajar prince, Kamran Mirza, who was the third son of the ruler, Nasir al-Din Shah (r.1848–96).
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.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
Artwork Details
Use your arrow keys to navigate the tabs below, and your tab key to choose an item
Title:Pen Box and Glass Case
Artist:Fathallah Shirazi (Iranian, active 1850s–80s)
Date:mid-19th century
Geography:Made in Iran
Medium:Lacquer
Dimensions:L: 8.66 in (22 cm)
Classification:Lacquer
Credit Line:Gift of Dara Zargar, 2018
Accession Number:2018.664a–d
Pen Box and Spectacle Case
This pen box has an unusual feature; it includes a small spectacle case that fits inside its sliding tray. Painted by the court artist Fathallah Shirazi, both containers are covered with gul-u-bulbul (rose-and-nightingale) designs in his distinctive palette of tan, gold, and black. Delicately rendered birds and butterflies are scattered among branches that bear a dazzling array of blossoms and bursting buds, a motif that decorated a wide variety of lacquer objects, including caskets, mirror cases, and book covers of the period. The inscription, which appears at the top and bottom edges of the lid, provides the artist’s name and alludes to the recipient, prince Kamran Mirza.
Maryam Ekhtiar in [Gifts of Art 2020]
Inscription: The inscription at the top and bottom edges of the lid reads: bi-jahat-i taqdim-i huzur-i bahir al-anvar, hazrat-i vala Na'ib al-Saltana Amir Kabir, ruhi fada It was completed for presentation to the one of dazzling light, His exalted Excellency Na'ib al-Salatana, Amir-e Kabir — may my soul be sacrificed for him. Work of Fathulla Shirazi (Translation from Sotheby's London 2012 sale catalogue)
Prince Kamran Mirza, Iran (from mid-19th century); Prince Abd al-Samad Khan Momtaz al-Saltana, Paris, France (until d. 1954); sale, Pierre Bergé et Associés, Paris, June 17, 2010, lot 25; sale, Sotheby's, London, April 25, 2012, lot 491 (to Zargar); Dara Zargar, New York, NY (2012–18, gifted to MMA)
Musée du Louvre Lens. "The Rose Empire: Masterpieces of 19th Century Persian Art," March 28, 2018–July 23, 2018, no. 246.
"17 June 2010." In Pierre Bergé, Paris. Paris, 2010. no. 491.
"March 28–July 23, 2018." In L'Empire des Roses: Chefs d'ouevres de l'art persan du 19th siècle. France, 2018. no. 246, p. 257, ill.
"March 28–July 23, 2018." In The Rose Empire : Masterpieces of 19th Century Persian Art. France, 2018. no. 246, ill.
Bantz, Jennifer, ed. Gifts of Art : The Met's 150th Anniversary. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2020. pp. 96, 197, ill. fig. 96 (color).
"London 25 April 2012." In Arts of the Islamic World. London: Sotheby's, London, 2012. no. 491, p. 73, ill.
The Met's Libraries and Research Centers provide unparalleled resources for research and welcome an international community of students and scholars.
The Met Collection API is where all makers, creators, researchers, and dreamers can connect to the most up-to-date data and public domain images for The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.
The Met's collection of Islamic art is one of the most comprehensive in the world and ranges in date from the seventh to the twenty-first century. Its more than 15,000 objects reflect the great diversity and range of the cultural traditions from Spain to Indonesia.
