Bestowing Beauty: Masterpieces from Persian Lands

Star Tile, Iran, Kashan or Takht-i Sulayman, possibly AH 690/1291–1292
Stonepaste; luster and cobalt painted on opaque white glazeStar tiles decorated with single animals adorned the walls of Takht-i-Sulayman, the summer palace of the Ilkhanid ruler Abaqa Khan (r. 1265–1282). The animal theme was suitable for the decoration of this palace because of its location in a wooded region in northwest Iran, an area ideal for hunting. A Persian quatrain shown along the border of the tile may suggest another layer of meaning: “Do you know, o my admired one, why / My two oppressed eyes are full of tears? / My eyes draw from the desire of your lips, / Water from the mouth of my pupils. . . .”

Mirror Case, Iran, probably Shiraz, mid-nineteenth century
Watercolor, gold-colored pigments, metallic particles, and lacquer on pasteboardThe front and back covers of this mirror case are adorned with roses and carefully studied nightingales. The rose and nightingale motif (gul u bulbul) is cherished in Persian literary and artistic traditions. The rose symbolizes the beloved, who has thorns and can be cruel, and the nightingale, the lover, who sings endlessly of his longing. This depiction of earthly devotion can be inferred to represent divine love and the soul’s search for a union with God. The gul u bulbul motif came to be associated with the city of Shiraz, a leading center of lacquer production in Qajar-era Iran.

Attributed to Aqa Mirak
Persian, active sixteenth century
Bookbinding, Iran, third quarter of the sixteenth century
Watercolor, gold-colored pigments, and lacquer on pasteboardTwo essential elements of Persian kingship—feasting and hunting—are seen on these lacquer book covers attributed to the celebrated Safavid master painter Aqa Mirak. Seen here, a prince and his courtiers enjoy a banquet in a lush garden. This scene of princely pleasure is complemented by another depicting horsemen in pursuit of game. Hunting and warfare allowed princes and courtiers to display their equestrian and archery skills, and hunting often serves as a metaphor for military might and kingship in Persian literature and art.

Pear, Iran, nineteenth century
Steel; inlaid with goldThe Qur’an promises believers ripe fruits in its description of paradise: “This is the Paradise that you have been given . . . . Therein you have abundant fruits” (Qur’an 43:72–73). Depictions of ripe fruit came to represent the promise of paradise. During the Qajar period, steel fruits such as this pear became popular. These decorative objects allowed their owners to have perpetually perfect fruit, evoking a vision of paradise—a world like their own but intensified, idealized, and eternalized.

The “King Umberto II Polonaise” Carpet, Iran, probably Isfahan or Kashan, early seventeenth century
Silk pile and gilt-silver, foil-wrapped silk thread on a foundation (warp and weft) of cotton and silkLustrous silk pile and precious metal-wrapped threads make this carpet one of the most important examples woven by Safavid court weavers. Though they appear muted as a result of tarnish and fading, these carpets were once coveted in Europe for their brilliant sheen and bold colors. The moniker “Polonaise” was coined after examples woven with Polish coats of arms were shown at the nineteenth-century Paris Exposition Universelle. This carpet was owned by the Italian royal family and was among the possessions of the House of Savoy until the death of Umberto II in 1983, the last king of Italy.

 Nasir al-Din Shah, Iran, Tehran, ca. 1848
Opaque watercolor and graphite on paperNasir al-Din Shah (r. 1848–1896), fourth ruler of the Qajar dynasty, projects a powerful presence. The shah, who acceded to the throne at age seventeen, wears a European-style military uniform. He is flanked by his first prime minister, Amir Kabir, and army representatives. One half of the king’s body is grounded in the physical world, while the other half is in a golden sky, affirming both earthly and divine authority. A keen painter, photographer, and art patron, Nasir al-Din Shah collaborated with court painters to craft his image. This portrait of the young ruler marks the beginning of a prolific, creative period of royal portraiture.