A Pen Box with Architectural Cartouches

The above given piece of craftsmanship is an art work by Ali Ashraf- a skilled and well known lacquer artist and a miniature painter from the Afsharid and Zand era Iran. Said to have lived between 1730s to 1780s, Ali Ashraf was known for his masterly expertise, especially in making ornate qalamdans (pen boxes), the making of which had gained prominence and become a part of the Iranian art and culture since the Safavid times. Ashraf began his career during the rule of the Afsharid dynasty which had come to power in Iran in 1736 under Nader Shah and lasted till 1796. Ashraf had already caught the eyes of the patrons and continued his work smoothly even when ghe Zand dynasty captured power and ended Afsharid rule in Iran in 1796 under the leadership of Karim Khan Zand. The period that followed the Zandi assumption of power provided a period of relative peace in which art and culture could flourish. This also helped Ali Ashraf to expand further with his expertize. During his whole career, Ali Ashraf made several lacquer boxes and mirror frames which were known both for their intricacy and workmanship. Ali Ashraf was a master of the 'gul-o-bulbul' or the 'flower and bird' style traditional Persian motif designing which had slowly become the prevalent norm in both decorative of artefacts and miniature paintings. The above artwork is one such example of the fine artistry of Ali Ashrafs, many of who's works are now preserved in museums located in different parts of the world which also include the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA) and The Albert and Victoria Museum (London, UK) within this list.