Pen Box with Amorous Couples and Portrait Medallions 1864 - 1865

Editor: This is a pen box, adorned with amorous couples and portrait medallions by Ahmad ibn Najaf `Ali. It's… surprisingly intimate, wouldn’t you say? What kind of stories do you think it whispers, seeing those couples and portraits together? Curator: It's almost like a tiny stage for human dramas, isn't it? I see echoes of Persian miniature painting, but also a nod towards more European portraiture. It makes me wonder about the owner - were they romantic, scholarly, or both? Did they use it to write love letters or perhaps something much more practical, a grocery list? Editor: That’s funny to think about, those love scenes on a grocery list. I like that it seems so personal. It makes you wonder about their life. Curator: Exactly! Art doesn't always have to be grand to be great. Sometimes, it’s the small, personal things that really capture our imagination and tell us stories. It becomes a portal into a different world.