During the Sasanian era, metalworkers and silversmiths crafted expensive vessels and beautiful jewelry for the affluent classes of their society. In some cases, they adorned these items with precious stones, which added a special charm to the created pieces. Unfortunately, during the Arab invasion of Iran, many artworks were taken as spoils due to their high value and portability. Currently, we do not have much evidence of those artworks from the mentioned historical period.
Restless Cup
This delicate giant, which is called Restless Cup, is one of the last Malileh artworks of Mr. Mohsen Yazdan Shenas, in which the piece’s delicacy, beautifully defies gravity with its solidity and firmness. It is usual and forgivable for the eyes to be tricked about the weight of the Malileh artwork in the first glance, because of the artwork’s delicacy, but a light touch of a sensible hand would easily remind of the high density of silver and can give a realistic understanding of the combination of delicacy and solid stability.
What has been discovered, mostly by chance, in regions like Susa, Hamadan, and the Jeyhun treasure through the efforts of archaeologists over the past few centuries, traces the art of malileh in Iran back to pre-Christian times.According to documents obtained from archaeological discoveries, the oldest objects that indicate the origins of malileh in Iran date back to the Achaemenid period.
Mr. Mohsen Yazdan Shenas has created Restless Cup, consisted of 18-petal lotus, each of which stand out beautifully with thousands of Zanjan style Malileh motifs, with stunning sizes of 54 cm. for the top diameter of the cup, 54 cm. of height and 58 cm. for the base of the work, using 10000 gr. of 99.99 silver, without compromising of the components and overall delicacy of the artwork.
From the writings and travelogues of travelers who have visited Zanjan and spoken of the beauty of the art of malileh, it can be understood that malileh in Zanjan has a long history. In historical books that have referenced Zanjan, the metalworking industry is mentioned more than anything else. Since the art of malileh is a branch of metalworking, it can be traced within the path of this craft.
Being a pioneer and innovator in this current of Malileh art, Mr. Mohsen Yazdan Shenas has developed. countless strategies to overcome impossibles, which undoubtedly are worth investment and learning. Mr. Mohsen Yazdan Shenas, in creating Restless Cup, has overcome many impossibles, using Zanjan style traditional hand-welding technique of silver, for all the 155 separate pieces of the work.
Metalworking in the city of Zanjan experienced significant development and prosperity during the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanian periods. Tea trays and sets, jewelry boxes, decorative bowls and baskets, and knife handles have been the main products produced from the past to the present. The silver used in this art is 100% pure and of high quality. According to most researchers, the oldest examples of Iranian malileh artifacts date back to the years 330 to 550 B.C. Zanjan is home to renowned and skilled masters of malileh art. Mr. Mohsen Yazdan Shenas, is one of the distinguished experts in this art in Iran.
Mr. Mohsen Yazdan Shenas
Born in 1976, Iran, since about 1990, working, learning, creating, teaching, raising artists, attending national and international fairs, introducing Zanjan’s filigree to the world, pushing the limits of the art, designing and performing some of the biggest and most complex pieces of filigree, challenging his own abilities and the art’s possibilities, mastering many side-arts and skills to filigree, which are independent arts by themselves, holding many national and international art and specifically filigree titles.
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This article was contributed by Mr. Akbar Karimi the international reporter for Arirang Culture Connect and the Founder and Managing Director of the Samte Ganjineye Ghoghnoos Cultural Artistic Institute in Iran. His leadership in preserving and promoting Iranian intangible cultural heritage along with his extensive experience in cultural artistic research and his active participation in international forums such as UNESCO and ICCN enriches his contributions to the global cultural dialogue.
Photo by: Mr. Mojtaba Jafarloo