A FINE LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ CASKET

BY MUHAMMAD SADIQ, IRAN, DATED AH 1177/1764-65 AD

Details

A FINE LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ CASKET
BY MUHAMMAD SADIQ, IRAN, DATED AH 1177/1764-65 AD
Of rectangular form, finely painted with nightingales amidst foliage of roses, hyacinths, narcisuss and hazelnuts, the borders with roses on wine-red ground, the interior of the lid finely painted in European style with a hunting scene in a forested landscape, river and water-mill in the background, the interior lined with brocade, with hinges, swing handles, securing chains and key escutcheon of silvered copper, signed on the cover sadiq az lutf 'ali ashraf shud
13 5/8 x 3 7/8 x 9¼in. (34.5 x 9.7 x 23.5cm.)

Literature

B.W. Robinson, Eastern Lacquer, Bernheimer Fine Arts Ltd, London, 1986, cat.4, p.11 and p.27

Exhibited

Bernheimer Fine Arts Ltd., London, 10-26 June 1986, cat.4

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Lot Essay

The signature is an unusual punning signature of Muhammad Sadiq: Sadiq az lutf 'Ali Ashraf Shud ('Sadiq became most noble by the grace of 'Ali'). The signature also refers to 'Ali Ashraf as being his master. This casket is the latest of all documented works by Muhammad Sadiq that use this signature (Nasser D. Khalili, B.W. Robinson and Tim Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands, part 1, London, 1996, pp.74-7). This could be taken to indicate an approximate date for when he left Isfahan and the tutelage of 'Ali Ashraf, where he had also worked on the St. Petersburg Muraqqa'. From there he went to work as an independant artist at the court of Karim Khan Zand in Shiraz.

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