Pen Box with Flowers and Birds in Medallions c. 1872 - 1873

Editor: This is a pen box, adorned with flowers and birds in medallions, crafted by Mustafa al-Husayni al-Imami. It feels very opulent to me. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a deliberate echo of courtly aesthetics. The birds and flowers, common motifs in Persian art, were often used to represent idealized beauty and harmony. But who had access to this beauty? How might the ownership of such an object reinforce social hierarchies? Editor: So, it’s not just about the pretty images, but about power too? Curator: Precisely. Consider the pen box itself. It's a functional object elevated to an art form, implying that even the act of writing can be seen as a privilege. Who had the time and resources for such beautiful tools? Editor: That’s something I hadn’t considered before. Curator: Examining art through a lens of social justice can reveal these hidden narratives. Editor: I'll remember that when looking at other art pieces. Thanks for enlightening me!