Howdah
ca. 1840 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The word 'howdah' هودج is an Anglo-Indian term for the seat used for riding an elephant. Symbols of status in the princely court, howdahs were used for hunting, in battle and for ceremonial processions. The profuse detailing of this howdah recalls the opulence manifested in the princely courts after Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in 1877. The Indian rajas, formerly heads of independent Indian states, became vassals of the British empire. Prevented from exercising any real power, they could only demonstrate their strength through lavish displays of pomp and ceremony. Their impressive appearance at the official British governmental functions ironically lent greater authority to the British control of India.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Cast, embossed, chased, stamped and partially gilded silver (parcel-gilt), cast, carved wood, mirror-glass, sewn velvet and cast iron |
| Brief description | Silver, wood and velvet 'howdah' هودج in the form of a carriage, India, ca. 1840 |
| Physical description | In the form of a small open carriage divided into two seating compartments, this howdah is constructed in wood covered in silver with velvet upholstery and nailhead on gimp trim. The front of the howdah is a flat panel divided in two horizontally, with the lower section holding a roundel with sun rays and at centre a crowned figure; the roundel is surrounded by four lions standing on single feet. The upper section of the front panel is divided in three vertically with decorative moulding and filled with mirrors; the tops of the four vertical posts are capped by artichoke shaped finials. The seats of the howdah are almost identical in form, the rear just being slightly smaller, with flaired arms that terminate in scrolls and supported by side panels with applied silver lions with long curling tails. Each compartment has single silver rods on the side to block the openings and serve as gates. The entire structure sits on six wood button feet. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Inscribed 'Maharawal Shri Nand Singh Ji' followed by an illegible word, though it may refer to the place the ruler comes from as is common in Rajput inscriptions of the type. Following that is a series of numbers, inscribed at a different time or by different hands, possibly referring to the object's weight. |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance Acquired by Arthur Gilbert from S.J. Phillips Ltd, London, 1988. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The word 'howdah' هودج is an Anglo-Indian term for the seat used for riding an elephant. Symbols of status in the princely court, howdahs were used for hunting, in battle and for ceremonial processions. The profuse detailing of this howdah recalls the opulence manifested in the princely courts after Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in 1877. The Indian rajas, formerly heads of independent Indian states, became vassals of the British empire. Prevented from exercising any real power, they could only demonstrate their strength through lavish displays of pomp and ceremony. Their impressive appearance at the official British governmental functions ironically lent greater authority to the British control of India. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996. |
| Bibliographic reference | Chapman, Martin. The Gilbert Collection of Gold and Silver. Recent Acquisitions 2. Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1991, cat. no. W. |
| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.1-2008 |
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| Record created | June 19, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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