ticketsMember | Make a donation

Pen Box and Glass Case

mid-19th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 462
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).

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 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
  • Object Number: 2018.664a–d
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Pen Box, Fathallah Shirazi Iranian, Papier-maché; painted, gilded, and varnished
Pen Box
Fathallah Shirazi
dated 1299 AH/1881–82 CE
Album of Flower Paintings, Fathallah Shirazi Iranian, Ink on paper
Album of Flower Paintings
Fathallah Shirazi
ca. 1880
Lacquer Mirror Case, Fathallah Shirazi Iranian, Papier-maché; painted, gilded, and lacquered
Lacquer Mirror Case
Fathallah Shirazi
dated 1295 AH/1878 CE
Pen Box (Qalamdan) Depicting Shah Isma'il in a Battle against the Uzbeks, Papier-maché; painted and lacquered
Pen Box (Qalamdan) Depicting Shah Isma'il in a Battle against the Uzbeks
early 19th century
Mirror Case Depicting the Meeting of Nasir al-Din Mirza and Tsar Nicholas I in Erivan and Satin Pouch, Muhammad Isma'il Isfahani Iranian, a) Pasteboard, opaque color, watercolor, gold under a lacquer varnish<br/>b) Satin pouch with metal wrapped embroidery
Mirror Case Depicting the Meeting of Nasir al-Din Mirza and Tsar Nicholas I in Erivan and Satin Pouch
Muhammad Isma'il Isfahani
dated 1271 AH/1854 CE

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

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.