A ZAND-STYLE BRASS ELEPHANT SCULPTURE
Qajar Iran, mid to late 19th century

In the shape of an elephant, cast into two parts and resoldered, the exterior densely engraved with typical Zand-style figural motifs including on the sides of the elephant's belly scenes from the great epic Shahnameh (Rustam slaying the White Div) and love romance Leyla o Majnun (Majnun in the wilderness surrounded by animals), on the sides of the legs demons and acrobats, on the hindquarters Timurid-inspired motifs of lions fighting with snakes, on the neck two typical Qajar anthropomorphised suns, and on the forehead and trunk intricate rumi design with rosettes and pairs of birds against a background of interlocking vegetal sprays, mounted on a later wooden base, 16cm x 19.5cm including the base.