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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
South Asia Gallery, Room 41

Turban Ornament

Turban Ornament
c.1800-50 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This ornament for the male turban is one of an important group of turban jewels bought by the V&A from a Mr Talyarkhan in 1922 and 1923. He had purchased them from the Maharaja of Jaipur in Rajasthan, and it is probable that this example was made in the royal workshops in Jaipur, in the early 19th century. Jaipur was, and still is, famous for its translucent enamels of extremely high quality. The form, and design in which a peacock predominates, are extremely unusual. It is possible that the ornament was made to adorn an image of the Hindu deity Krishna, with whom the peacock is associated, rather than for the ruler to wear as the traditional emblem of royalty. Paintings of the God also often depict him wearing ornaments of precisely this form.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleTurban Ornament
Materials and techniques
Enamelled gold
Brief description
Turban ornament, enamelled gold, Jaipur, Rajasthan. c.1800-50.
Physical description
Turban Ornament depicting a peacock in full display.
Dimensions
  • Height: 12cm
  • Width: 13cm
Object history
Purchased from Mr. A.F.S. Talyarkhan.

Production
Rajasthan
Subject depicted
Summary
This ornament for the male turban is one of an important group of turban jewels bought by the V&A from a Mr Talyarkhan in 1922 and 1923. He had purchased them from the Maharaja of Jaipur in Rajasthan, and it is probable that this example was made in the royal workshops in Jaipur, in the early 19th century. Jaipur was, and still is, famous for its translucent enamels of extremely high quality. The form, and design in which a peacock predominates, are extremely unusual. It is possible that the ornament was made to adorn an image of the Hindu deity Krishna, with whom the peacock is associated, rather than for the ruler to wear as the traditional emblem of royalty. Paintings of the God also often depict him wearing ornaments of precisely this form.
Bibliographic references
  • Susan Stronge, Nima Smith, and J.C. Harle. A Golden Treasury : Jewellery from the Indian Subcontinent London : Victoria and Albert Museum in association with Mapin Publishing, Ahmedabad, 1988. p.56.
  • Barnard, Nick, Indian Jewellery: The V&A Collection London: V&A Publishing, 2008 Number: ISBN 9781851774838 p. 57-8, pl. 3.9
  • The art of India and Pakistan, a commemorative catalogue of the exhibition held at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1947-8. Edited by Sir Leigh Ashton. London: Faber and Faber, [1950] p. 224, cat. no. 1102
  • Swallow, Deborah and John Guy eds. Arts of India: 1550-1900. text by Rosemary Crill, John Guy, Veronica Murphy, Susan Stronge and Deborah Swallow. London : V&A Publications, 1990. 240 p., ill. ISBN 1851770224, p.212, pl.187.
Collection
Accession number
IM.241-1923

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
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