Pen case, wood, inlaid with ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoise shell, ebony, and zinc
The inlay technique reached a very high standard under the Ottoman Turks after a court workshop was founded in the mid-16th century that specialized in work with mother-of-pearl. New patterns were devised, and many different materials were used to inlay objects such as Koran stands, doors, etc.
The lid and sides of this pen case hold geometric decorations that fill the surfaces to perfection. Their symmetry is broken only at the narrow edge at the top, its irregular progression creating dynamic movement.
The pen case formerly belonged to the French landscape painter Félix Ziem (1821-1911).
The lid and sides of this pen case hold geometric decorations that fill the surfaces to perfection. Their symmetry is broken only at the narrow edge at the top, its irregular progression creating dynamic movement.
The pen case formerly belonged to the French landscape painter Félix Ziem (1821-1911).