Page 73 - ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND INDIAN WORLDS Carpets, Ceramics Objects, Christie's London Oct..27, 2022

almost identical episodes to ours is signed by Hajji Muhammad, whom
Chahryar Adle has recognised as Muhammad Zaman’s brother in a detailed
study of the piece (Khalili, Robinson and Stanley, op.cit., p.59; Adle, 1980).
The three scenes depicted on the top of the Khalili box, two of which are also
found on our mirror case are described by Adle as an allegory of the defeat of
carnality and the triumph of mystic love.

The outer surface of the shutter of our mirror case depicts a handsome
couple standing in an amorous embrace, holding hands. While the man
is kissing his lover’s cheek and looking at her, she is looking towards the
viewer in an inviting gaze. The scene inside the shutter follows with a further
painting of a couple seated in an embrace. The woman is illustrated with
one hand on the man’s knee while resting her head on his shoulder and
looking down. The man looking at his lover has one hand on her shoulder
in a comforting manner and the other gesturing towards her. They are
accompanied by a female attendant who is offering wine. This scene bears
close resemblance to a pencase published by Diba (Layla Diba, Royal Persian
Painting: The Qajar Epoch 1785-1925, New York 1998, p.112) which is also the
work of Muhammad Zaman and is dated AH 1109/1697 AD. It depicts the
same scene with slight variation in the placement of the couples' hands, the
addition of musicians and another male attendant. The back of our case is
adorned with a further allegorical love scene in the form of a gol-o-bulbul,
Back of mirror case
executed in the new style introduced by Muhammad Zaman.
†57
A SAFAVID PAPIER-MÂCHÉ MIRROR CASE Characteristically, the scenes feature trees with systematically modelled and
BY MUHAMMAD ZAMAN, IRAN, LATE 17TH/ EARLY 18TH CENTURY distinctive trunks, low branches, and prominent roots. They also have clouds
illustrated in an extremely realistic manner with strong use of shading that
The front decorated with an embracing couple, the back with a gul-o-
bulbul motif, on the interior is a seated couple with attendant in a woodland creates depth, and carefully situated architecture in the background. The
surrounded by an inscription with an Arabic blessing, on the front an placement of the figures in an elliptical format also enhances the impression
attribution to Muhammad Zaman and dated AH 1110/1698-99 AD, the main of three-dimensional space. Such background scenes suggest a strong
Safavid panels extended and assembled in the present form in the Qajar European influence as mastered by Muhammad Zaman. Another distinctive
period, some losses to the outer edges of the case feature of Zaman’s works also found on our mirror case is his treatment of
8º x 5¡in. (21 x 14cm.)
the eyes and distinctive and prominent nose of both female and male figures.
£50,000-70,000 US$58,000-80,000 These include the thick treatment of the upper and lower eyelids with the
€57,000-80,000 use of an extremely fine double line below the eyes which is often highlighted
with large pupils.
PROVENANCE:
Collection of Augustus Raymond Margary (1846-1875) thence to his direct The lavishly dressed and ornamented couple and their attendant share close
descendants facial and decorative similarities with other works created by Muhammad
Zaman. For further comparable pieces see the Muhammad Zaman penbox of
This exceptional mirror case is an extremely rare survival of Safavid lacquer 1697 (Adle, op.cit.,1980), the later copy of this work by Muhammad Ali, son of
produced by the celebrated artist, Muhammad Zaman ibn Yusuf (fl.1673- Muhammad Zaman (Sotheby's, London, 12th October 2000, lot 85).
1713). Although the signature is a later attribution, the work can be firmly
attributed to the master himself.
The decline in the production of lacquer bookbindings in the later 17th
century resulted in the increase in other types of painted and varnished
papier-mâché objects, most notably pen boxes and mirror cases (Khalili,
Robinson and Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands, The Nasser D. Khalili
of Islamic Art, Part One, London and New York, 1996, p.55-57). Available
evidence suggests that there was a definite change in taste which originated
from the court of Shah Sulayman (r.1666-1694) and that it was associated
with the Shah’s patronage of Muhammad Zaman and his atelier. From
the 1670s, Muhammad Zaman began to produce paintings bearing figural
depictions in a new Europeanizing style, which became the backbone of
Iranian lacquer production until the 20th century. At the same time, he is
known to have reformulated the tradition of gul-o-bulbul drawings current in
the early and mid-17th century. His style became a consistent feature of this
genre of lacquer drawings produced until the 20th century (Khalili, Robinson
and Stanley, op.cit., p.56).
Our mirror case is an excellent example of lacquer which exhibits not only
this new type of figural decoration, but also the style of flower and bird
painting developed by Muhammad Zaman. A pen box in the Khalili collection
created under the reign of Shah Sultan Husayn (r.1694-1722) which has
Front of mirror case Opposite:
70 Inside of shutter 71