Artists' Tools19th century

Pen Box with Flowers, Birds, and Butterflies in Grisaille Technique

c. 1875-1900

Description

Cover and sliding compartment with rounded ends. The top is decorated in horizontal format. The top and sides are densely painted in black on a tan background with birds, flying insects, and a variety of flowers. The base bears a gold arabesque on a red background.

Classification

Artists' Tools

Medium

Opaque watercolor, gold-colored pigments, and lacquer on pasteboard

Period

Qajar period

Century

19th century

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Islamic & Later Indian Art

Dimensions

3.9 × 3.8 × 22.7 cm (1 9/16 × 1 1/2 × 8 15/16 in.)

Provenance

Ezzat-Malek Soudavar, Geneva, Switzerland (by 2014), by descent; to her son Abolala Soudavar, Houston, Texas (2014), gift; to Harvard Art Museums, 2014. Note: Ezzat-Malek Soudavar (1913-2014) formed this collection over a period of sixty years. She purchased the works of art on the international art market.

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