Pen Box with Muhammad Shah Qajar and Nur `Ali Shah 1842 - 1843

Curator: I’m immediately struck by the almost dreamlike quality of this scene, like something glimpsed through amber. Editor: Indeed. What we're looking at is a pen box adorned with an image of Muhammad Shah Qajar and Nur `Ali Shah, crafted by Abu’l-Hasan Isfahani. It's currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. The box has these petite dimensions; roughly 5 by 6 by 28 centimeters. Curator: A pen box, so an object of daily use elevated into an artistic statement. Do you think the reclining figure signifies repose or perhaps a more symbolic relinquishing of earthly concerns? Editor: I see the depiction of the Shah and the Sufi master less as repose and more as a subtle assertion of power merged with spiritual authority. Remember, pen boxes were often gifts, laden with intent. Curator: That gives me something to think about regarding how the choice of imagery shapes its cultural impact. Editor: And I am now thinking about how the intimate scale invites a closer look, a quiet contemplation.