IRAN, EARLY 19TH CENTURY

Details

A FINE QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ CASKET
IRAN, EARLY 19TH CENTURY
Of typical rectangular form on four feet and with separate coved cover, the finely painted decoration in gold and polychrome, the raised top with a central panel depicting Fath 'Ali Shah seated on the Peacock Throne surrounded by three of his sons, ministers and courtiers, the borders decorated with applied cusped medallions against a gul-o bulbul ground, some with figures in European dress alternating with other medallions depicting ladies and elders in courtly outdoors settings, the decoration around the sides of the box with princely themes including Bahram Gur executing his master shot before Fitna, Shirin bathing surprised by Khusraw, Yusuf sold as a slave between Zulaykha and her husband mounted on either side, Yusuf haloed riding and coming upon the aged Zulaykha seated under a tree, the cover's reverse with Fath 'Ali Shah spearing a doe, the borders with further cusped medallions showing hunting scenes, the interior with later applied gold leaves, the base with floral scrolls on red ground, some small repainted flakes, edges slightly chipped, otherwise in very good condition
16½ x 8 5/8 x 11 3/8in. (42 x 22 x 29cm.)

Literature

B.W. Robinson, Eastern Lacquer, An Exhibition of 50 pieces of Persian, Indian and Turkish Lacquer, Berheinmer Fine Arts Ltd., 1986, cat.11., p.12 and 29

Exhibited

Bernheimer Fine Arts Ltd., 10-27 June 1986, cat.11

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Lot Essay

This casket is very similar to one acquired by Sir William Ouseley on his mission to the court of Fath 'Ali Shah in 1811-12 and which he illustrates in his book Travels into various Countries of the East, London, 1823, vol.III, pp.62.

An almost identical composition with Fath 'Ali Shah surrounded by princes, ministers and pages can be seen on a book binding cover now in the Nasser D. Khalili Collection. The painting is of much lesser quality than the present example however (Nasser D. Khalili, B.W. Robinson and Tim Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands, Oxford, 1996, vol.I, cat.121, pp.121-122). The artist Sayyid Mirza has been suggested as the painter for the faces of the figures on the binding cover.

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