Scripture Box and Shrine
ca. 1900 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
A Buddha image would have been placed within the open porch of this late 19th century teak hpaya khan (Buddhist shrine) which came from a monastery situated near Mandalay. Such sumptuous pieces were often commissioned as acts of merit by royalty or wealthy personages and given to the monkhood. Unusually this hpaya khan rests on its own sadaik (manuscript box) which has a door at the back for access to the manuscripts. The virtuoso carving of Burmese foliate designs and mythical creatures seen on this hpaya khan has been embellished with thayo, or moulded lacquer, encrusted with glass inlay work. A technique which grew in popularity in Burma from the middle of the 18th century and is thought to have been introduced from Thailand.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 4 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Teak, encrusted with coloured glass and stones embedded in gilt thitsi lacquer composition |
| Brief description | Burmese teak and lacquered Buddhist Shrine (hpaya khan) and Manuscript Box (sadaik). With hman-zi shwei (glass inlay) set in thayo (relief moulded lacquer) decoration of figurative and foliate motifs in muted greens and reds. C19 |
| Physical description | A box surmounted by a small shrine. The colours are dull green and lead colour, relieved here and there with a sober red. The front of the box has a border of repeat tonaya (composite animal) and lotus heads. Central scene shows two pairs of fighting Bilus and two holding lotus stems. In the back there is a cupboard door for access to the manuscripts. The surmounting shrine has three roofs and a hti (finial). In front is a open porch flanked by two openwork panels with nat yok (reverential spirit figures). Teak, encrusted with coloured glass and stones embedded in gilt thitsi lacquer composition using the thayo (relief moulded lacquer) hman-zi shwei-cha (glass inlay) technique |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Curzon Bequest |
| Object history | Historical significance: A Buddha figure would have been placed within the porch of the shrine and Buddhist manuscripts kept in the sadaik (manuscript box). Given by the Marchioness Curzon and the Hon. Francis N. Curzon. Register entry 24 May 1927. |
| Production | "From a monastery in Upper Burma"; The Journal of Indian Art (see References). |
| Subject depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | A Buddha image would have been placed within the open porch of this late 19th century teak hpaya khan (Buddhist shrine) which came from a monastery situated near Mandalay. Such sumptuous pieces were often commissioned as acts of merit by royalty or wealthy personages and given to the monkhood. Unusually this hpaya khan rests on its own sadaik (manuscript box) which has a door at the back for access to the manuscripts. The virtuoso carving of Burmese foliate designs and mythical creatures seen on this hpaya khan has been embellished with thayo, or moulded lacquer, encrusted with glass inlay work. A technique which grew in popularity in Burma from the middle of the 18th century and is thought to have been introduced from Thailand. |
| Bibliographic reference | "The Journal of Indian Art"; ix; no. 76; Oct.1901
Harry L. Tilly; Glass Mosaics of Burma; pp. 61-65; pl. 95 |
| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IM.126-1927 |
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| Record created | November 28, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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