Cabinet and stand thumbnail 1
Cabinet and stand thumbnail 2
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images
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
South Asia Gallery, Room 41

Cabinet and stand

Cabinet
ca. 1765 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This cabinet on stand is inspired by English models made in 1725-1750. It was made at Vizagapatam, a port on the east coast of India famous for its fine cabinet work. The maker has decorated the face of the cabinet with a combination of ivory inlay and ivory veneer in a style of the 1750s. From 1760 to 1780 was a period of transition between the two techniques practised by Vizagapatam workshops. The use of ivory veneer gave makers a greater degree of flexibility. They could decorate more freely and easily by engraving on ivory than by inlaying ivory into a wooden ground. A major innovation in decoration was the introduction of figurative scenes and architectural views engraved on ivory. There are examples on the central group of compartments and the interior drawers of the cabinet. These images are frequently fantastical. However, they were originally inspired by European prints from illustrated volumes. These are prominently listed in inventories of the time of the British in India and they were regularly advertised for sale in newspapers.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Cabinet
  • Stand
TitleCabinet and stand
Materials and techniques
Rosewood, inlaid and partly veneered with ivory, with silver mounts
Brief description
Rosewood cabinet on stand, inlaid and partly veneered with ivory, Vishakhapatnam, ca. 1765.
Physical description
Rosewood cabinet on stand, inlaid and partly veneered with ivory; with silver mounts.
Dimensions
  • Height: 174cm
  • Width: 103cm
  • Depth: 55cm
Gallery label
CABINET ON STAND Rosewood, inlaid with incised, lac-filled ivory Vizagapatnam (Vishakhapatnam), Uttar Pradesh c. 1770 IS.289&A-1951 Given by Miss Muriel Bryant This cabinet was made in Vizagapatam, a port on the east coast of India. In the 18th century, Vizagapatam was a leading centre of wood and ivory work, where local craftsmen used their traditional woodworking skills to produce western-style furniture for Europeans. The cabinet is inspired by English models. The engraved images on the two upper drawers show Montagu House in Bloomsbury, London – the original home of the British Museum(01/08/2017)
Credit line
Given by Miss Muriel Bryant
Object history
The engraved ornament on the two upper drawers show two views of Old Montagu House, Bloomsbury, London, original home of the British Museum.
According to Edward Croft Murray (RF 23 Sept 1963) 'they are engravings appearing on the same plate by J. Green, after Samuel Wale, and were illustrations to R&J Dodsley: London and its Environs Described, 1761.'
The RF also has a Letter from Miss Bryant, dated June 5 1951, saying that the cabinet 'Belonged to my sister, the late Mrs Scott of Langlee, and was brought from China by our uncle, at the end of the last century, probably between 1870 & 1880'.
Summary
This cabinet on stand is inspired by English models made in 1725-1750. It was made at Vizagapatam, a port on the east coast of India famous for its fine cabinet work. The maker has decorated the face of the cabinet with a combination of ivory inlay and ivory veneer in a style of the 1750s. From 1760 to 1780 was a period of transition between the two techniques practised by Vizagapatam workshops. The use of ivory veneer gave makers a greater degree of flexibility. They could decorate more freely and easily by engraving on ivory than by inlaying ivory into a wooden ground. A major innovation in decoration was the introduction of figurative scenes and architectural views engraved on ivory. There are examples on the central group of compartments and the interior drawers of the cabinet. These images are frequently fantastical. However, they were originally inspired by European prints from illustrated volumes. These are prominently listed in inventories of the time of the British in India and they were regularly advertised for sale in newspapers.
Bibliographic references
  • Jaffer, A. Furniture from British India and Ceylon: a catalogue of the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2001. ISBN 1 85177 318 5.p.191, pl.42. Guy, J., and Swallow, D., (eds). ‘Arts of India: 1550-1900’. London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1990. ISBN 1851770224., p.202-203, pl.178.
  • Luxury goods from India : the art of the Indian cabinet maker / Amin Jaffer. London: V&A Publications, 2002 Number: 1851773819 pp.71-71, ill.
  • Irwin, John , Art & the East India Trade; Victoria & Albert Museum,, HMSO, London, 1970 No. 21
Collection
Accession number
IS.289&A-1951

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
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