Khatamkari Candlestick

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Khatamkari is one of the Persian arts of marquetry wherein the surface of wooden or metallic articles is decorated with pieces of wood, bone and metal cut in a variety of shapes and designs.

Materials used in this craft can be gold, silver, brass, aluminum and twisted wire. Various types of inlaid articles and their quality are known by the size and geometrical designs. Smaller pieces result in a higher value of the artwork.

There are many narratives about inventors and innovators of Khatam between the accomplices and artists, but what is noteworthy is that it is not clear who has invented the first installment. The Persian Encyclopedia has read: “It is not known the beginning of this art, and what is said about it is associated with legend. Some professors still believe that the art of completing the miracle of Abraham is a prophet. ”

Egyptian craftsmen have adopted this method like many other arts and other things of the Copts. Several pieces and slabs with wood and bone mosaics have been found at Sinai near Cairo in the early Islamic period, and most of them are in the Cairo Islamic Museum or the Museum Berlin is one of the finest examples of this industry in the metropolitan area.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”History of Khatamkari” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:16|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes” el_class=”semibold”][vc_column_text]

Delicate and meticulous marquetry, produced since the Safavid period: at this time, Khatam was so popular in the court that princes learned this technique at the same level of music or painting. In the 18th and 19th centuries, katahm declined, before being stimulated under the reign of Reza Shah, with the creation of craft schools in Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz. “Khatam” means “incrustation”, and “Khatam-kari” (Persian:خاتم&zwnjکاری&lrm), “incrustation work”. This craft consists in the production of incrustation patterns (generally star shaped), with thin sticks of wood (ebony, teak, ziziphus, orange, rose), brass (for golden parts), camel bones (white parts). Ivory, gold or silver can also be used for collection objects. Sticks are assembled in triangular beams, themselves assembled and glued in a strict order to a cylinder, 70 cm in diameter, whose cross-section is the main motif: a six-branch star included in a hexagon. These cylinders are cut into shorter cylinders, and then compressed and dried between two wooden plates, before being sliced for the last time, in 1 mm wide tranches. These sections are ready to be plated and glued on the object to be decorated, before lacquer finishing. The tranche can also be softened through heating in order to wrap around objects. Many objects can be decorated in this fashion, such as: jewellery/decorative boxes, chessboards,  cadres, pipes, desks, frames or some musical instruments. Khatam can be used on Persian miniature, realizing true work of art. This craft existed for more than 700 years and is still perennial in Shiraz and Isfahan.This art was made by Joseph Hakimyan (known as Mohammad Reza) about 60 or 70 years ago in Mashhad (North Khorasan) [1] or brought to Russia from Russia and 20 years later by Haj Dadash was taken to Isfahan

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Khatamkari is one of the Persian arts of marquetry wherein the surface of wooden or metallic articles is decorated with pieces of wood, bone and metal cut in a variety of shapes and designs.

Materials used in this craft can be gold, silver, brass, aluminum and twisted wire. Various types of inlaid articles and their quality are known by the size and geometrical designs. Smaller pieces result in a higher value of the artwork.

This craft consists in the production of incrustation patterns (generally star-shaped), with thin sticks of wood (ebony, teak, ziziphus, orange, rose), brass (for golden parts), camel bones (white parts). Ivory, gold or silver can also be used for collection objects. These sticks are assembled in triangular beams, assembled and glued in a strict order to create a geometrical motif such as a six-branch star included in a hexagon.

At times, cylinders are cut into shorter cylinders and then compressed and dried between two wooden plates, before being sliced for the last time, in 1 mm wide tranches. These sections are ready to be plated and glued on the object to be decorated, before lacquer finishing.

The tranche can also be softened through heating in order to wrap around objects. Many objects can be decorated in this fashion, including jewelry boxes, chessboards, pipes, desks, frames or musical instruments.

Design and Usage

Marquetry designing is highly elaborate. In each cubic centimeter of space, up to approximately 250 pieces of metal, bone, ivory and wood are laid side by side. This art, to some extent, has existed in Iran from long ago.

Inlaid articles in the Safavid era took on a special significance, as artists used this art on doors, windows, mirror frames, Qur’an boxes, pen and penholders, lanterns and tombs.

The ornamentation of the doors of holy places predominantly consists of inlaid motifs. These specimens can be observed in the cities of Mahshad, Qom, Shiraz and Rey. In the Safavid era, the art of marquetry flourished in the southern cities of Iran, especially in Isfahan, Shiraz and Kerman.

An inlaid desk, which is one of the definitive masterpieces of this art, was awarded the first prize and a gold medal in an art exposition in Brussels recently. This desk is now preserved in the National Museum of Washington. Also, in some royal buildings, doors and various items have been inlaid. The inlaid-ornamented rooms in Sa’dabad and Marble Palace in Tehran are among masterpieces of this art.

In Safavid era, khatamkari was so popular in the court that princes learned this technique alongside the art of music or painting. In the 18th and 19th centuries, khatamkari declined, before being stimulated under the reign of Reza Shah, with the creation of art schools in Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz.

Incorporating techniques from China and improving it with Persian know-how, this craft existed for more than 700 years and is still practiced in Shiraz and Isfahan.

Current Status

Currently, this art is being practiced in Isfahan, Shiraz and Tehran. Inlay masters, preserving the nobility of their art, have brought forth great innovations in this fine art.

Woodcarving is one of the outstanding Iranian arts, which require dexterity and artistic skills. It provides wood, ivory or bone in simple or complex shapes for use in khatamkari.

Excellent specimens can be found in historical mosques, palaces and buildings. Some of the Iranian inlaid works are preserved in museums at home or abroad.

Images of leaves, flowers, birds and animals predominate.

Latticed woodwork, which developed later into an exquisite art, is also manually made by craftsmen. Old latticed doors and windows of Iran are famous.

Among other artworks, sudorific inlaid work can be mentioned. In this kind of inlaid work, the artist strictly avoids protrusions on the wood surface. The images carved on natural wood of various colors are finely inlaid. After the application of a fine finish, an even surface is produced. The art of inlaid and sudorific woodwork is supported by Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization. These arts are also practiced in private workshops.

Khatamkari is part of Iran’s artistic heritage. Official support can help preserve this heritage for future generations.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_raw_html]JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjIxNTQxNzU4NTg1NDI0MzA3OSUyMiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHR5cGUlM0QlMjJ0ZXh0JTJGSmF2YVNjcmlwdCUyMiUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmFwYXJhdC5jb20lMkZlbWJlZCUyRkl4eVlTJTNGZGF0YSU1QnJuZGRpdiU1RCUzRDE1NDE3NTg1ODU0MjQzMDc5JTI2ZGF0YSU1QnclNUQlM0Q1NjklMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0UlM0MlMkZkaXYlM0U=[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]