Lovers with Pomegranate (painting, recto; calligraphy, verso), folio from an album, left-hand side of a bifolio c. mid 16th century

Curator: This delicate folio, attributed to Mir `Ali Haravi, is titled "Lovers with Pomegranate." It's a painting on one side and calligraphy on the other, a single page from a larger album. Editor: The pomegranate immediately draws my eye. The woman holds it out, but the figures look so stiff. What materials were used to create such a flattened perspective? Curator: The flatness aligns with the conventions of Persian miniature painting. The materials would have included finely ground pigments, possibly lapis lazuli for the blues, and gold leaf for illumination, all meticulously applied. The patronage for these albums reflect complex courtly culture and practices. Editor: Courtly yes, but there's a tension here. It speaks to constrained roles and power dynamics encoded in material and form. Curator: Exactly. The very act of creating such intricate and luxurious objects was a display of wealth and control, reflecting the socio-political structures of the time. Editor: These album leaves were more than beautiful objects then; they were part of the economic and social machinery of the court. I see the painting reflecting labor conditions. Curator: Indeed, the materials and techniques reveal a complex tapestry of cultural and political influences. Editor: A lot more than just lovers sharing fruit.