Old Persian Carving in Brass

Harry Fenn's engraving documents a decorative brass vessel, likely from Persia, showcasing the intricate metalwork traditions of the Islamic world. The piece features a domed lid crowned with a finial and adorned with elaborate narrative reliefs depicting figural scenes and ornamental patterns characteristic of Persian decorative arts. Fenn (1845–1911), an American artist and illustrator, specialized in rendering archaeological and ethnographic subjects with meticulous detail. This work exemplifies the late nineteenth-century fascination with non-Western artistic traditions, presented through the precise medium of wood engraving—a technique that allowed fine reproductions for publication and museum documentation.