Box
1790-1800 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This painted and varnished box has decoration of flowers and soldiers. It was probably made in Patna, a city famous in India for its lacquered wares. The soldiers' costumes show that these are both British troops and sepoys (Indian soldiers in the service of the East India Company). The British troops are wearing top hats of a type common in the 1790s. The sepoys are wearing round hats, red jackets and white trousers of a type also worn at that time. This allows us to date the box to this period.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Wood, overlaid with tin foil, painted and varnished, with brass lock and hinges |
| Brief description | Box, wood, painted and varnished, Patna, 1790-1800. |
| Physical description | The box is rectangular, the front and sides painted with reserves of gold, red, green, yellow, pink and white against bluish-blackground.,the reserves framed by borders of alternating leaves and flowers. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Purchased from Mr E. Hendy |
| Object history | Purchased from Mr E. Hendy, 41 Arthur Road, Holloway. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project. RP 1911- 4173M |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This painted and varnished box has decoration of flowers and soldiers. It was probably made in Patna, a city famous in India for its lacquered wares. The soldiers' costumes show that these are both British troops and sepoys (Indian soldiers in the service of the East India Company). The British troops are wearing top hats of a type common in the 1790s. The sepoys are wearing round hats, red jackets and white trousers of a type also worn at that time. This allows us to date the box to this period. |
| Bibliographic reference | 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.268, pl.94. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IM.74&A-1911 |
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| Record created | December 5, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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