Fan with Poetic Verses

dated 1301 AH/1883–84 CE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 462

This rare lacquer fan consists of twenty wooden blades painted with floral and vegetal scrolls and poetic inscriptions. The design is European whereas the construction is related to nineteenth‑century Cantonese fans exported to Europe in quantity. The verses are rhyming couplets by the renowned Persian mystical poet Hafiz. While luxury objects such as this were often exported and thus tailored to the tastes of Europeans, they were also collected by the Iranian elite.

Artwork Details

Title: Fan with Poetic Verses
Date: dated 1301 AH/1883–84 CE
Geography: Made in Iran, Tehran
Medium: Wood; painted, gilded, and lacquered
Dimensions: H. 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm)
W. when open 18 1/2 in. (47 cm)
Classification: Lacquer
Credit Line: The Moses Lazarus Collection, Gift of Josephine and Sarah Lazarus, in memory of their father, 1888–95
Object Number: 90.2.65
Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

Audio

6776. Fan with Poetic Verses by Hafiz

Reading

0:00

SHEILA CANBY: The 14th century poet known as ‘Hafiz’ is one of the most popular of the classical Persian poets. His poetry appears in books, and inscribed all manner of objects. Listen to a poem by him. It’s read for us by the Persian reciter Iraj Anvar. He’ll read translation of the poem’s first verse, and then the Persian in its entirety. Persian classical poems don’t have titles per se, but this piece is known after the word “Remember” which is its refrain.

IRAJ ANVAR: (translated from Persian) Remember the day of union with the friends / Remember those times / Remember / From bitter sorrow my mouth became like poison / Remember the revelers’ cry of drink.

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