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Jahangir-Era Jewelled Pen Cases to Shine at Louvre Exhibition in US
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News18•23-09-2026, 13:30
Jahangir-Era Jewelled Pen Cases to Shine at Louvre Exhibition in US
- •Two jewel-embedded ivory pen cases, commissioned by Mughal emperor Jahangir, will be showcased at a major Islamic art exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington DC.
- •These pen cases, later acquired by French jeweller Louis Cartier, are among 26 artworks lent by the Musée du Louvre for "From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art."
- •The exhibition, co-curated by Souraya Noujaim and Simon Rettig, marks the first time this selection is displayed in the United States and will be its only US stop.
- •The pen cases are believed to have been gifts from Jahangir to Safavid ruler Shah Abbas I and his grand vizier, inspiring some of Cartier's jewellery creations.
- •The exhibition, running until January 18, 2027, also features paintings, metalwork, jade, ceramics, glass, and architectural elements from the seventh to the 19th centuries, exploring the journeys and changing meanings of these objects.
Key Questions Answered
Two jewel-embedded ivory pen cases commissioned by Mughal emperor Jahangir will be among the major highlights of the exhibition.
The exhibition opens on September 26 and will remain open at the National Museum of Asian Art through January 18, 2027.
The pen cases were subsequently acquired by Cartier in 1912 after being presented as gifts to Safavid ruler Shah Abbas I and his grand vizier.
