Vanity Box

Muhammad Baqir

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This superbly painted lacquer vanity box consists of a rectangular frame with a drawer and a removable lid covering a mirror. The drawer is intended to hold the dressing set; it has compartments for a variety of implements such as a scissors, tweezers, and a comb. The outer surfaces of the case are covered with sensitively rendered bird and flower (gul-u-bul-bul) paintings while the inner surface of the lid features a lively feasting scene (bazm) that epitomizes the lyricism of Zand painting at its height. A prince and his lover sit on a verandah surrounded by courtiers and musicians, who serve them wine and refreshments and provide entertainment.

Islamic Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Islamic art ranges in date from the seventh to the twenty-first century. Its more than 15,000 objects reflect the great diversity and range of the cultural traditions of Islam, with works from as far westward as Spain and Morocco and as far eastward as Central Asia and Indonesia. Comprising both sacred and secular objects, the collection reveals the mutual influence of artistic practices such as calligraphy, and the exchange of motifs such as vegetal ornament (the arabesque) and geometric patterning in both realms.

Metropolitan Museum of Art