A Qajar lacquer penbox (qalamdan), signed Najaf 'Ali, depicting scenes from Layla and Majnun

This lacquer penbox can be understood as a small object which brings a famous tragic love story into daily life. It was made in Qajar Iran in 1843–44 and it is signed by Agha Najaf ʿAli. The box shows that art was not only used for big paintings or manuscripts, but also for useful things like pen cases. On the box there are scenes from Layla and Majnun, a legendary love story about two lovers who cannot be together. The pictures show Majnu alone in the wilderness, the fight with the tribe of Layla, and Majnun at the grave of Layla. These scenes show the main themes of the story which are strong love, separation, sadness and madness. Because the box was used for writing tools, it can also be viewed as connecting the story with poetry, writing and memory. Persian couplets from the poem of Nizami are written on the box, so the image and the text are working together. This makes the object both decorative and full of meaning. The object is made from lacquered papier-mâché and it is decorated with colours and gold. The small scenes are put inside framed places called cartouches, which help the viewer to read the story step by step. The signature on this object is written as “Najaf ʿAli Isfahani" which refers to Imam ʿAli, who is also known as Shah-e Najaf (“King of Najaf”) and may reflect the artist’s respect for him as it is stated that the artist has put this signature there in honour of him. The penbox shows the importance of Persian literature, skilled craftsmanship and emotional storytelling in the Qajar art. It is not only a container for pens, but also a symbol of love, memory and cultural identity.