{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O55183"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O55183/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JF3778/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JF3778/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2016JF3778","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JF3779","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JF3780","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JF3781","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JF3782","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JF3784","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JF3785","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JF3786","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O55183/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O55183","accessionNumber":"764:1-1876","objectType":"Pen box (qalamdan)","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The primary function of a pen box (qalamdan) was as a writing implement - made of papier mache, wood or other materials, including precious metals – intended to hold a number of tools associated with the art and act of writing, including reed pens, an inkwell, liqah (a cotton wool substance used to absorb excess ink), a penknife, a qat’zan (a flat resting board made of horn), a whetstone, a small spoon, and a pair of scissors. These accessories were considered essential elements for a scribe.  The box that kept these elements was deemed, by association, as important as the person who handled its contents, with the quality of the box’s decoration directly reflecting the status of the scribe or patron.  \n\r\nPen boxes were carried by penmen of all ranks, often tucked into the shawls tied around their waists, symbolising a badge of their trade.  So esteemed was the pen box that even Shahs commissioned them; these rare examples are confirmed by their inscriptions.  The earliest specimens of this type date from the reign of Shah Sulayman Safavi (1664-95), but later Qajar examples commissioned by members of high bureaucracy also exist throughout the nineteenth century. \n\r\nThis particular scene painted upon the pen box is adapted from the wall paintings at the Chihil Sutun Palace at Isfahan. The animation and crush of figures is emphasised in translating this scene from a wall painting to a miniature scale.\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Oblong shaped pen box with rounded edges, made of lacquered papier-mache and painted with the battle of Chaldiran in a crowded composition, with similarly crowded scenes on the sides of a royal lion hunt.  The base of the cover and the sides of the sliding compartment are red, with gold floral scrollwork.   ","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Lacquered papier-mache","categories":[{"text":"Lacquerware","id":"THES49004"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2016JF3778","2016JF3779","2016JF3780","2016JF3781","2016JF3782","2016JF3784","2016JF3785","2016JF3786"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"018","id":"THES367283"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"018","id":"THES367283"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Pen case","id":""}],[{"text":"Pen case part","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Iran","id":"x30220"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Shiraz","id":"x29140"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1850-1876","earliest":"1850-01-01","latest":"1876-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"24.2 ","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4.9 ","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Oblong shaped pen box depicting the battle of Chaldiran, Iran, Qajar period, 1850-76","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Nasser Khalili, B.W. Robinson, and Tim Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands (London: The Nour Foundation, 1997), pp. 10-16."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The giant penbox [761-1876] and its smaller companion show a famous scene from Iranian history, the battle of Chaldiran against the Ottoman Turks which took place in 1514.  The Iranian Shah Isma'il is shown slicing the Agha of the Janissaries in two, before the eyes of the Turkish Sultan Selim the Grim.  Like the battle scene on the volume of poetry by Sa'adi displayed nearby, this scene is adapted from the wall paintings at the Chihil Sutun Palace at Isfahan.  The animation and crush of figures is emphasized in translating this scene from a wall painting to a miniature scale.\r\n\r\nSMALL PENBOX - BATTLE OF CHALDIRAN\r\nIran, 19th century\r\nPapier mache\r\n764-1876","date":{"text":"5 June 2000","earliest":"2000-06-05","latest":"2000-06-05"}},{"text":"Writing Case\r\n\"Kalemdan.\"  Papier-mache, painted with a battle scene between Shah Ismael and the turks, by the artist Nadjaf.  \r\nPersian; 19th century.\r\n764-1876","date":{"text":"1976","earliest":"1976-01-01","latest":"1976-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["764:1-1876","764:2-1876"],"accessionNumberNum":"764","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1876,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Pen case","Pen case part"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-23","recordCreationDate":"2001-02-16","availableToBook":true}}