- Title
- Pencase and Inkwell
- Date Made
- 18th century
- Period
- Ottoman (1281-1924)
- Medium
- Painted lacquer and brass
- Dimensions
- 1 11/16 x 11 3/8 in. (4.29 x 28.89 cm)
- Accession Number
- M.85.237.78a-c
- Collecting Area
- Art of the Middle East: Islamic
- Curatorial Notes
Because it is through writing that the Qur’an is transmitted, scripts in the Arabic alphabet were devised and perfected to be worthy of divine revelation. On this account, calligraphy became the most important Islamic art form, regardless of the text. Even with the advent of mechanical printing in the eighteenth century, calligraphy retained its significance and value in Islamic lands, particularly in Ottoman Turkey, as can be seen in the continued embellishment of calligrapher’s tools. Cylindrical cases like this richly decorated lacquer one were a practical and popular form that allowed calligraphers to transport documents and tools, such as the small brass inkwell that cleverly slides into the bottom of the case.
