Description
A CARVED AND PAINTED FRUITWOOD KASHKUL (BEGGAR'S BOWL) Abadeh, Iran, 19th century Of typical curved, boat-like shape, resting on a pointy, oval, splayed foot, with downward-turned stylised dragon-head handles on each side, the exterior carved and painted in red, green, and black, the decoration consisting of a wide band with the beloved Qajar topos of the gol-o-bolbol (rose and nightingale) against a gently ring-punched ground, surmounted by a narrower nasta'liq calligraphic band with four lyrical quatrains containing puns and references to the vessel, the foot with a diamond-shaped openwork medallion on each side, and the interior bearing the name Hasan in pencil, 17cm x 35.5cm. Carved, openwork, and occasionally painted fruitwood vessels like the present beggar's bowl have often been attributed to the artistic centre of Abadeh near Isfahan, renowned for their exquisite sherbet spoons and lively lidded boxes decorated with traditional topoi derived from Persian epic narratives, love, and mystical poems. This kashkul with its elegant gol-o-bolbol decoration accompanied by nasta'liq quatrains presents all the quintessential features of the Qajar Abadeh school and can therefore be attributed to this centre. For another very similar example dated 1166 AH (1753 AD), please see the V&A Museum Collection (acc. no. 877-1889).
215
A CARVED AND PAINTED FRUITWOOD KASHKUL (BEGGAR'S BOWL) Abadeh, Iran, 19th century Of typical curved, boat-like shape, resting on a pointy, oval, splayed foot, with downward-turned stylised dragon-head handles on each side, the exterior carved and painted in red, green, and black, the decoration consisting of a wide band with the beloved Qajar topos of the gol-o-bolbol (rose and nightingale) against a gently ring-punched ground, surmounted by a narrower nasta'liq calligraphic band with four lyrical quatrains containing puns and references to the vessel, the foot with a diamond-shaped openwork medallion on each side, and the interior bearing the name Hasan in pencil, 17cm x 35.5cm. Carved, openwork, and occasionally painted fruitwood vessels like the present beggar's bowl have often been attributed to the artistic centre of Abadeh near Isfahan, renowned for their exquisite sherbet spoons and lively lidded boxes decorated with traditional topoi derived from Persian epic narratives, love, and mystical poems. This kashkul with its elegant gol-o-bolbol decoration accompanied by nasta'liq quatrains presents all the quintessential features of the Qajar Abadeh school and can therefore be attributed to this centre. For another very similar example dated 1166 AH (1753 AD), please see the V&A Museum Collection (acc. no. 877-1889).
