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Pen Box with Scenes from the "Haft Paykar" Thumbnail

Pen Box with Scenes from the "Haft Paykar"

Muhammad Isma'il Isfahani (Iranian, 1814-1892) (Artist)

1283 AH/AD1866-1867 (Qajar)

papier mâché with paint, gilding, and varnished lacquer
(Islamic World )

This pen box is adorned with scenes from one of the great classics of Persian literature: the Haft Paykar (Seven Images) by the medieval poet Nizami of Ganja (ca. 1141-1209). The central part of the Haft Paykar elaborates on a series of visits made by the pre-Islamic Sassanian king Bahram V Gur to the princesses of the seven climes, each of whom recounts an edifying story on kingly virtues, followed by the pleasures of feasting and love, as depicted here. In the central oval on the top of this pen box is the image of the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus.

Provenance

**Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.**

Acquired by Henry Walters, Baltimore; by bequest to Walters Art Museum, 1931.

Exhibitions

2015-2016	Pearls on a String: Artists, Patrons, and Poets at the Great Islamic Courts. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; Asian Art Museum, San Francisco.
2011	The Art of Writing Instruments from Paris to Persia.
2010	Poetry and Prayer: Islamic Manuscripts from the Walters Art Museum. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore.

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Geographies

Iran (Place of Origin)

Measurements

H: 1 9/16 × W: 9 3/16 × D: 1 5/8 in. (4 × 23.4 × 4.2 cm)

Credit Line

Acquired by Henry Walters

Location in Museum

Not on view

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

67.3

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Pen Box with Scenes from the "Haft Paykar"

Provenance

**Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.**

Exhibitions

Geographies

Measurements

Credit Line

Location in Museum

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

Do you have additional information?

Hours

Location

Phone

Pen Box with Scenes from the "Haft Paykar"

Provenance Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Exhibitions

Geographies

Measurements

Credit Line

Location in Museum

Accession Number In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

Do you have additional information?

Provenance

**Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.**

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.