A LARGE ENGRAVED BRASS TRAY WITH CHARACTERS FROM NIZAMI'S KHAMSEH
Qajar Iran, 19th century

Of circular shape, resting on a flat base, with a short cavetto and an everted, flattened rim, the interior engraved with a tour de force of figural and vegetal decorations accompanied by scalloped calligraphic cartouches, the central roundel featuring a battle scene between a Persian king and his Indian opponent, their respective armies gathering in the middle of the composition, canons and archers to the right and riders armed with swords on the left, the surrounding concentric circular bands featuring nasta'liq calligraphy quoting a passage from the Fal Namah (v. 330) of Hafiz, scalloped cartouches with characters and scenes from Nizami's Khamseh, especially Bahram Gur hunting; Khosrow spying on Shirin whilst bating; and Shirin visiting Farhad at Mount Bisotun; and the outer band showcasing more scenes of hunts, banquets, Persian narratives, and rural life, every band framed within intertwined split palmette trellis and stylised vegetal scrollwork, 59cm diam.