A LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PEN CASE (QALAMDAN) DEPICTING THE BATTLE OF KARNAL (1739)
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Qajar Iran, 19th century

With rounded ends and a sliding tray, lacquered, polychrome-painted and heightened in gold, the horizontally arranged top depicting a scene from the famous Battle of Karnal (24 February 1739), remembered as a decisive victory for Nadir Shah (portrayed on horseback on the right), the founder of the Afsharid dynasty, against the army of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah (portrayed riding an elephant on the left), which consequently led to the plundering of Delhi and the Mughal Treasury by the Persians, the two armies are presented here in fierce combat, the Indian soldiers on the backs of elephants and lining up their canons in the background, the Persian party mostly on horses and camels, the sides with the great Persian hero of the Shahnameh, Rustam, in combat, the sides of the sliding tray and underside with charming rosette sprays and saz leaves in gold against red ground, 21.4cm long.

Similar to the next lot, the decorative program on this pen case pays tribute to a momentous battle that shaped Persian history. The victory of Karnal was the culminating point of Nadir Shah's invasion of the Mughal Empire, inflicting a blow to the Mughal dynasty from which they never recovered and which hastened their progressive weakening and later fall.

When the Persians advanced towards Karnal, the Mughals sent a force to meet them, including several war elephants which are clearly portrayed in the foreground of our lot (left). The Persians waited until the Mughals came within close range and unleashed devastating volleys of gunfire, represented in our lot as small red and gold explosions (right). To further strengthen the rhetorical message of Persian supremacy, our qalamdan has been decorated on the sides with scenes from the Shahnameh, the magnus opus of the Persian poet Ferdowsi, depicting the hero Rustam shooting arrows at his enemies.

For further reference on the Battle of Karnal, please visit the Encyclopedia Britannica website: https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Karnal (last accessed 13/03/2022).