Pen Box with ink well c. 1200

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ceramic, earthenware

ceramic

earthenware

geometric

ceramic

islamic-art

Dimensions: 2 1/8 x 4 x 7 in. (5.4 x 10.16 x 17.78 cm)

This ceramic pen box with an ink well was made by an anonymous artist. It features a turquoise glaze that dominates its form and evokes a sense of serenity despite its fragmented state. The object’s structure consists of geometric forms. A rectangular base is carved with a semi-circular cavity for ink and an adjacent slot for pens. The box includes a lid which, rather than providing a flush closure, sits as a separate plane adorned with circular motifs and calligraphic inscriptions. This interplay between geometric precision and symbolic ornamentation invites us to consider the object beyond its utilitarian function. The turquoise glaze flattens the surface, emphasizing the symbolic and graphic elements over depth. Ultimately, this pen box exists as a complex interplay of form and symbolism that underscores the aesthetic values of its cultural context and extends beyond mere functionality.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart over 1 year ago

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Produced in the famed Kashan workshops of western Iran, the interior rim of this exceptionally large dish is incised with an elegant Arabic verse: La elah ela allah (No god other than God). As seen in works throughout these galleries, and in the great care taken in producing the ceramic pen box below it, one unifying aspect of Islamic art is the importance of the written word—a conduit of the word of God as revealed in the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad in the 600’s CE. The pen box would have been used by a master calligrapher, perhaps to compose poetry or religious or philosophical texts. The dish was likely used for feasting, likely on a religious holiday or courtly celebration, with the calligraphy evoking one of the essential truths of the Islamic faith. The iridescent surface of the plate is due to chemical changes to the glaze—the result of being buried in the ground for hundreds of years.