Pen Box with Flowers and Birds 1789 - 1790

Curator: This exquisite pen box, adorned with flowers and birds, was created by Muhammad Baqir, who lived from 1725 to 1790. It is currently part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It's incredibly charming! The way the birds and flowers are placed gives it this wonderful, almost whimsical, air. It feels like a stolen moment from a secret garden. Curator: The imagery of birds and flowers was quite common in Persian art, often representing themes of love, beauty, and the transient nature of life. These weren't just pretty decorations. Editor: Yes, of course. And a pen box… it speaks to a time when handwriting was elevated, a daily ritual infused with artistry. I wonder what sort of letters were drafted with pens stored inside it! Curator: The materiality also interests me. We can consider the object's role as a carrier of symbolism, but also as a status symbol indicating literacy and education in the 18th century. Editor: It's more than just a box; it's a tiny portal, isn’t it? Both to a different era and into the soul of someone who appreciated beauty in the everyday.