Pen Box with Rulers from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) by Firdawsi c. 1875 - 1900

Curator: Before us is a pen box, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection, decorated by `Abd al-Husayn Sani` al-Humayun with scenes from Firdawsi's Shahnama. Editor: It's like a tiny, gilded world, isn't it? Packed with figures, all swirling in shades of ochre and sienna. Curator: Note the intricate composition, the way the artist uses dense figuration to articulate narratives. We see a conscious arrangement of forms... Editor: It feels so alive, though. Like a buzzing epic condensed into something you could slip into your pocket. Do you think it contained secret stories? Curator: Perhaps it was a status symbol, a declaration of its owner's refined taste and literacy. The rulers served a practical function, of course, but also... Editor: ...but also a reminder that even the most mundane objects can be vessels of extraordinary tales. I find it incredibly charming. Curator: Indeed. A compelling intersection of the functional and the symbolic. Editor: Yes, a golden echo of ancient glory.