Cast brass
Persia, 17th century
Safavid period
Torch stand with inscriptions in two bands near the top and bottom
Round base, faceted pillar-shaped shaft
Surface finely engraved with abstract tendrils
Height: 27 cm; diameter (base): 16.5 cm
Provenance: Old German private collection, France
Torch stands usually contained oil and were a popular form of lighting in the Safavid era

Torch stands (mash’al) increasingly appeared in the second quarter of the sixteenth century and presumably came from north-western India. This kind of cylindrical pillar-shaped torch stands soon became a much acclaimed element of lighting and gradually changed from the smooth to the finely faceted type around the mid-sixteenth century.



The offered piece is a characteristic example, made from cast brass in the 17th century. Its columnar form rises from the flaring base and bears shows patterns of abstract tendrils. Two verses innasta’liq script are inscribed near the top and the bottom of the shaft: The upper excerpt comes from the Khorassani poet Katibi Turshizi, active in the 15th century: ‘In the evening, when the full moon of your cheek became the light of our hermitage / The candle burned down – it could not bear the fervor of our togetherness.’ The lower excerpt comes from the ‘Bostan’ of Saadi: ‘May the world be a friend of your wishes and (also) the sky / And the creator of the world be your guardian / May your success always meet your wishes / (and) the ruler of the world be your guardian.’



Similar objects are to be found in the collections of major museums, such as the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Metropolitan Museum, the Louvre or Hermitage.



Condition:

The torch stand is in very good condition considering its age. The piece measures 27 cm (10.6 in) in height and a base diameter of 16.5 cm (6.5 in). It shows a finely restored tear of approximately 9 cm (3.5 in) at the base. (cbo)

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