IRAN, MID 19TH CENTURY

Details

A FINE QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ CASKET
IRAN, MID 19TH CENTURY
Of rectangular form on four feet with stepped lid, the finely painted decoration in gold and polychrome, the raised top panel depicting the Adoration of the Maji, the borders decorated with applied cusped medallions against a gul-u bulbul ground, some with figures in European dress alternating with other medallions showing ladies in courtly outdoor settings, the decoration around the sides of the box comprising courtly scenes of men in European dress, ladies and elders as well as the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus, the cover's interior with a scene of two nobles sitting on a carpet, one with a lion and hookah, surrounded by three courtiers, the borders with further cusped medallions of rural and hunting scenes, the interior plain green, the base with floral scrolls on a red ground, silver mounts, some small chips to the lacquer, otherwise in good condition
16 1⁄4 x 11 1⁄2 x 8 5⁄8in. (41 x 29 x 22cm.)

Provenance

Anon. sale, Sotheby's, London, April 2004, lot 45

Special notice

The USA prohibits the purchase by US persons of Iranian-origin “works of conventional craftsmanship” such as carpets, textiles, decorative objects, and scientific instruments. The US sanctions apply to US persons regardless of the location of the transaction or the shipping intentions of the US person. For this reason, Christie’s will not accept bids by US persons on this lot. Non-US persons wishing to import this lot into the USA are advised that they will need to apply for an OFAC licence and that this can take many months to be granted.

Brought to you by

Barney Bartlett Junior Specialist

bbartlett@christies.com +44 (0) 791 769 5730

Lot Essay

Although unsigned, the beautiful and delicately drawn figures, with mesmerising gazes, rosy cheeks and pouty lips depicted on our casket are closely reminiscent of the work of the master lacquer artist Najaf ‘Ali. He was most active during the mid-19th century. Najaf 'Ali is recorded as being particularly fond of painting images of European women and Christian religious scenes.
This interior scene is almost identical to a papier-mâché mirror case we sold in these Rooms, 12 October 2004, lot 95, and another signed example sold at Sotheby’s 25 April 2018, lot 104. Our casket is extremely similar to a box in the Khalili collection (Khalili, Robinson and Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands, The Nasser D. Khalili of Islamic Art, Part One, London and New York, 1997, no. 230, p.34) ascribed to the master craftsman Najaf ‘Ali. The lid of which bears an Adoration of the Magi scene is so close in detail to the present example that the artists were either inspired by the same European engraving, or both boxes were executed in the same workshop.
Najaf 'Ali's works are dated between AH 1227⁄1812-13 AD and AH 1277⁄1860-61 AD (Khalili et.al., op.cit., pp.22, 31, 36 and 39 and Tabrizi, 1991, pp.1368-81).

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