Mirror Case Depicting Crucifixion Scene
This remarkable lacquer mirror-case, attributed to the master lacquer painter at the court of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar (r. 1848–1896), depicts an amalgam of Christian, biblical, and Sufi subjects. It presents the artist’s eclectic outlook and his experimentation with placing disparate objects with deeply embedded meaning side by side. Here, on the surface, the crucifixion may be that of Christ, but when looking closely, it is in fact relating a story that lies at the heart of Sufi belief.
Artwork Details
- Title: Mirror Case Depicting Crucifixion Scene
- Artist: Muhammad Isma'il Isfahani (Iranian, 1814–1892)
- Maker: (frame) Muhammad Javad, Iranian, active mid-19th century
- Date: mid-19th century
- Geography: Made in Iran
- Medium: Pasteboard, papier-maché; opaque watercolor, gilded, and lacquered
- Dimensions: H. 10 13/16 in. (27.4 cm)
W. 6 11/16 in. (17 cm)
D. 11/16 in. (1.8 cm) - Classification: Lacquer
- Credit Line: Purchase, 2017 and 2018 NoRuz at The Met Benefits, 2025
- Object Number: 2025.657a, b
- Curatorial Department: Islamic Art
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Muhammad Isma'il Isfahani (Iranian, 1814–1892)
dated 1271 AH/1854 CE
1860s
early 19th century
Aqa Buzurg Shirazi (Iranian, active ca. 1840–1860)
1840's
Fathallah Shirazi (Iranian, active 1850s–80s)
mid-19th century
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