SIGNED MUHAMMAD ISMA'IL, IRAN, CIRCA 1865

Details

A QAJAR LACQUER PÂPIER MÂCHÉ LACQUER PENBOX (QALAMDAN)
SIGNED MUHAMMAD ISMA'IL, IRAN, CIRCA 1865
Of typical form with rounded ends and sliding tray, the top and sides decorated in polychrome with cartouches with gold rococo frames each depicting the mythical Kings of Iran and their courtiers in historical dress, the top with central cartouche containing the similarly depicted figure of Nasir al-Din Shah, the cartouches on the base with the amorous exploits of Bahram Gur and three of the seven princesses, the tray with many scenes in round and ovoid cartouches, the interior with hunting and battle scenes over gold, a small roundel at the end of the tray with a portrait of the artist and his signature, most of the scenes identified with small black nasta'liq inscriptions, numerous losses to the lacquer
9in. (22.9cm.) long

Provenance

Collection of Sir Walter Townley, sold Sotheby's, London, 30 June 1921, lot 199

Engraved

On the lid above and below the central portrait, 'Nasir al-Din Shah, ruler of the world / First of all Emperors'
The figures around Nasir al-Din Shah are identified as Kay Kawus, Kay Khusraw, Faridun, Manucher and champions from the Shahnama
At the centre of both sides are portraits of Anushirvan. In the small portraits around him are figures from the Shahnama including Darab, Iskandar, Bahman and Isfandiyar
There are further verses in Persian about how the pen immortalizes the greatness of the ancient kings of Iran

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Lot Essay

A very rare feature of this penbox is that the signature, which is formed at the far end of the interior of the tray, beside a self portrait of the artist. Only two other pen boxes by Muhammad Isma'il are known which contain a portrait of the artist. One sold in these Rooms, 12 October 2004, lot 93 (also recorded in M.A.Karimzadeh Tabrizi, The Lives Art of Old Painters of Iran, Vol. I, London, 1985, pp.69-70). The other sold at Sotheby's, 12 October 2000, lot 90. Sadly the face of our Muhammad Isma’il has suffered some flaking, but comparison with the others shows strong similarity – in all three the artist is depicted with a red beard and wearing an Astrakhan hat, hard at work painting with a brush in his right hand. All three penboxes also share a very similar decoration and composition covering the rest of the box, with central depictions of the court of Nasir al-Din Shah, the artist’s principle patron. For a short note on the artist, please see the preceding lot.

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