Mirror Case

Aqa Ahmad

Not on view

The images and inscriptions on this finely-painted lacquer mirror case speak to the strong Shi'i-Sufi belief system prevalent in 19th-century Iran. Portraits of Imam 'Ali and Qanbar (his cherished companion, freed slave, and keeper of his horse) are depicted alongside a full-flowering iris plant and a delicate rendition of the rose and the nightingale on the outer surfaces of the piece. The rose and nightingale is a popular Sufi trope alluding to the yearning of the lover to unite with the beloved (God). Inscriptions describing Imam 'Ali and verses referencing the mirror as a reflector of his and the owner's beauty are found at the bottom of the inner surface of the shutter of the mirrorcase.

Mirror Case, Aqa Ahmad, Pasteboard, papier-maché; opaque watercolor, gilded, and lacquered

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Mirror Case, Aqa Ahmad, Pasteboard, papier-maché; opaque watercolor, gilded, and lacquered
Mirror Case, Aqa Ahmad, Pasteboard, papier-maché; opaque watercolor, gilded, and lacquered
Mirror Case, Aqa Ahmad, Pasteboard, papier-maché; opaque watercolor, gilded, and lacquered
Mirror Case, Aqa Ahmad, Pasteboard, papier-maché; opaque watercolor, gilded, and lacquered

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