Not currently on display at the V&A

An oblong ebony box, carved with a floral pattern in relief, with an ivory miniature of the Qutb Minar, Delhi, on the lid.

Box
ca. 1860-1870 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This lid of this box is mounted with miniatures of northern Indian monuments painted on ivory. Such paintings were typical of 19th-century workshops and were keenly admired by European visitors to Delhi, who would acquire them loose, framed, or mounted into boxes and caskets such as this.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleAn oblong ebony box, carved with a floral pattern in relief, with an ivory miniature of the Qutb Minar, Delhi, on the lid.
Materials and techniques
Carved ebony, mounted with miniatures in gouache on ivory; the miniatures and edges of the box framed in silver; silver lock, hinges and feet; reinforced at the corners with inset silvered brass supports; the underside lined with green velvet
Brief description
Box; ebony carved and mounted with miniature painting in ivory, Delhi, ca. 1860-1870.
Physical description
Ebony box, rectangular,with miniatures in gouache on ivory carved with floral designs, framed in silver, silver lock, hinges and feet.
The mounted miniature depict:

1.) The Golden Temple, Amritsar
2.) Itimad ud-Daula's Mausoleum, Agra
3.) Akbar's Mausoleum, Sikandra
4.) Humayun's Mausoleum, Delhi
5.) The Taj Mahal, Agra
6.) The Qutb Minar, Delhi
7.) The Jami Masjid, Delhi
8.) The Moti Masjid, Delhi
9.) A view of the Fort across the river.
Dimensions
  • Height: 9cm
  • Width: 23cm
  • Depth: 18cm
Style
Subject depicted
Places depicted
Summary
This lid of this box is mounted with miniatures of northern Indian monuments painted on ivory. Such paintings were typical of 19th-century workshops and were keenly admired by European visitors to Delhi, who would acquire them loose, framed, or mounted into boxes and caskets such as this.
Bibliographic references
  • Jaffer, Amin Furniture from British India and Ceylon: A Catalogue of the Collections in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum. London : V&A Publications, 2001. 416 p., ill. ISBN 1851773185.p.276, pl.98.
  • Archer, Mildred. Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period Victoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992 225, 226 p. ISBN 0944142303
Collection
Accession number
1100-1874

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Record createdDecember 5, 2002
Record URL
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