English: A PAIR OF QAJAR LACQUER BOOK COVERS

ATTRIBUTABLE TO MUHAMMAD ISMA'IL, QAJAR IRAN, CIRCA 1865

Each of rectangular form with a detailed depiction of the preparation of the siege of Herat populated by numerous soldiers, the second depicting the taking of Turkman prisoners following a victorious battle along the frontier, the scene identified in two small inscriptions at the top in nasta'liq, narrow floral meander borders, the reverse of each with gold medallion on red ground Each 13 3/8 x 8½in. (34 x 21.5cm.)

Major-General Sir Robert J. Murdock Smith (1835-1900), from whose collection these boards come, spent over 20 years in Iran as the director of the Persian Telegraph Company in Tehran. During that time he built up a significant collection. In 1873 Smith was engaged by the South Kensington Museum to purchase works of art on their behalf. He remained in that role until 1885, providing what later became the Victoria and Albert Museum with the foundation of their collection of Iranian art. Notably Smith secured for the museum the purchase of the collection of Frenchman Jules Richard (1816-91), which was subsequently the subject of a major exhibition in 1876, for which Smith also wrote the accompanying guide.

Muhammad Isma'il was the most notable follower of Najaf 'Ali. The two artists had probably a master - pupil relationship and it has ever been suggested that Muhammad Isma'il was Najaf 'Ali's brother. Muhammad Isma'il recorded works are dated between AH 1256/1840-41 AD and AH 1288/1871-72 AD. He received the title naqqashbashi 'chief painter', from Nasir al-Din Shah in around AH 1275/1858-59 AD. A penbox signed by Muhammad Isma’il of similar period to these book covers was sold in these Rooms, 6 October 2009, lot 151.

Muhammad Isma’il was noted for his accomplished depictions of battle scenes. A closely related depiction of both battle scenes depicted on our book covers can be found on a casket in the Historical Museum of Bern signed by Muhammad Isma’il and dated AH 1282/1865 AD (Toby Falk (ed.), Treasures of Islam, Geneva 1985, no.162, p.183). Toby Falk described the comparable casket as, ‘perhaps the most spectacular piece of Persian lacquer in existence’, and suggests that it was probably commissioned by Mirza Muhammad Khan Qajar to celebrate his victories. Our book binding appears to depict moments of both events which slightly precede the narrative shown on the Bern casket, for instance preparations for the siege at Herat where the casket follows with the actual battle. It is therefore highly likely that our bindings and the casket in Bern were part of the same commission.