Dish with Blood Letting Scene

This dish is kept in the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin Germany. The dish depicts a blood-letting scene. I was made in the 13th century in city of Kashan in Iran. It is made of ceramic with under- and over-glazed painting. This a rare item in which there is a medical imagery on a Persian Dish. Medieval Islamic-Persian dishes made in Kashan are truly beautiful. I hope to see this item in person one day.

Lady Khorshid

I took this photo on my visit to Malek Museum. This painting is called "Khorshid Khanoom" or "The Lady Khorshid" which  is painted by the well know Persian Artist, Abolhassan Ghafari during Qajar Period. Lady Khorshid was actually the painter's cousin, who possibly acted as the matriarch to Ghaffari clan. In this image, the woman’s body language, stance and gaze is challenging to the audience to comprehend her. I do love the colorful form of her dress.

Qajar Pen-Case

I took this picture on my visit to Malek Museum few years ago. I sill have the same cheap camera, so the quality of the photo is not too great. This is a pen-case, in which Persians stored their pens. It normally was crafted with colorful images. Most later versions were influenced by the European visual art at we could see on this item. This particular one is perhaps made in 18th or 19th century. There are many similar items which come from Qajar Dynasty. 

12th Century Bowl

I took this photo in Glassware Museum in Tehran, Iran. This beautiful bowl was made in 12th century in Eastern Iran. At that period human images started to show up in such dishes even though Islamic teachings normally approve floral designs. I particularly loved the color of this ceramic bowl.The central image is a human on a horseback. It is simple yet elegant.

A Goddess Figure From Elam

The woman of the right is an Elamite goddess with an elaborate headdress and costume. She is holding her bare breasts in cupped hands. I took this image with my camera on my recent visit to Museum of Glassware in Iran during Christmas holidays. It seems she was made in mid 2nd millennium BC. A similar item is kept in Shush Museum in Iran [1]. I have also seen few more of such these in University of Pennsylvania's catalog as well as few antique shops. My guess is that she was some sort of fertility goddess and molded in large quantities at the time. So you might ask where Elam was? Ancient Elam was a civilization centered in the Southwest of modern-day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of what is now Khuzestan and Ilam Provinces, as well as a small part of southern Iraq.

Nadir Shah During the Sack of Delhi

This painting is about Nadir Shah's invasion of India, perhaps showing the king on horseback during the sack of Delhi. It is probably made in mid 18th century by Persian court artists. It is now kept in Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, USA. Persian invasion of India, to some extent was so cruel in terms of their plundering of the capital city of Delhi. Many were also massacred by the invaders. The city was sacked for several days. An enormous fine of 20 million rupees was levied on the people of Delhi. Muhammad Shah handed over the keys to treasury, and lost the Peacock Throne, to Nadir Shah, which thereafter served as a symbol of Persian Imperial might.

Persian prince in India - Mughal Period

This painting shows a Persian prince in India. I am guessing that he is a member of Afsharid dynasty due to the form of his headgear. The painting is kept in Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, USA. I believe it was made sometime around 18th-19th century during Mughal Period in India. Emperor Nadir Shah, the Shah of Iran (1736–47) and founder of the Afsharid dynasty, invaded Northern India with a fifty-five thousand strong army, eventually attacking Delhi in March 1739 where he sacked the city, after issuing orders for a general massacre to take place. Afsharid invasion had harsh consequences for Indians leading to their subjugation by British in the years to come.