Cabinet
early 17th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This cabinet originated in Gujarat, in western India. From about 1500 to 1630 cabinetmakers in this region usually decorated fall-front cabinets and boxes with inlay. This inlay ranged from sadeli (micro-mosaic work in wood and metal) to geometric, floral and figurative marquetry in wood and ivory. This cabinet is from a group with inlay of ivory (either white or stained green), a variety of woods, and brass or copper. The cabinetmaker has used a range of subjects. They include animals positioned symmetrically or chasing one another, courtiers, and armed Indian and Portuguese hunters on foot, or horse, or elephant.
Mughal design is full of hunting themes. They appear in miniature painting, carpets, clothing and metalwork. The hunting scenes on this and many related cabinets are usually thought to have been influenced by Mughal design. However, hunting themes were equally fashionable on high-quality European cabinets of the period. European cabinetmakers created hunting scenes using a variety of techniques, from inlaying materials into wood to etching on ivory. Etching on ivory allowed designers to copy images directly from printed works such as Livre de Chasse (book of hunting) (1563) by Gaston Phebus.
Mughal design is full of hunting themes. They appear in miniature painting, carpets, clothing and metalwork. The hunting scenes on this and many related cabinets are usually thought to have been influenced by Mughal design. However, hunting themes were equally fashionable on high-quality European cabinets of the period. European cabinetmakers created hunting scenes using a variety of techniques, from inlaying materials into wood to etching on ivory. Etching on ivory allowed designers to copy images directly from printed works such as Livre de Chasse (book of hunting) (1563) by Gaston Phebus.
Object details
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Teak, veneered with rosewood and inlaid with tropical woods, ivory and brass, with silver escutcheon and iron mounts |
| Brief description | Fall-front cabinet, teak veneered with rosewood and inlaid with tropical woods, ivory and brass, decorated hunting scenes. Gujarat or Sindh, early 17th century. |
| Physical description | Fall-front cabinet, teak veneered with rosewood and inlaid with tropical woods, ivory and brass, with silver escutcheon and iron mounts. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Credit line | Bought (Source not recorded) |
| Object history | Bought (Source not recorded). 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. |
| Historical context | "Fall-front cabinets and boxes made in Gujarat and Sindh in the sixteenth century and early seventeenth are typically decorated with inlay of one sort or another, ranging from micro-mosaic work (sadeli) to geometric, floral and figurative marquetry in wood and ivory. This example is representative of a group characterised by the inlay of ivory (either white or stained green), a variety of woods, and brass or copper. A range of decorative motifs is found, including animals positioned symmetrically or chasing one another, courtiers, and armed hunters - both Indian and Portuguese - on foot, or mounted on horses or elephants. Such figures are usually portrayed around mounds from which spring trees with multiple branches and abundant foliage. Similar motifs are found on Gujarati mastic-inset mother-of-pearl cabinet-ware." |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This cabinet originated in Gujarat, in western India. From about 1500 to 1630 cabinetmakers in this region usually decorated fall-front cabinets and boxes with inlay. This inlay ranged from sadeli (micro-mosaic work in wood and metal) to geometric, floral and figurative marquetry in wood and ivory. This cabinet is from a group with inlay of ivory (either white or stained green), a variety of woods, and brass or copper. The cabinetmaker has used a range of subjects. They include animals positioned symmetrically or chasing one another, courtiers, and armed Indian and Portuguese hunters on foot, or horse, or elephant. Mughal design is full of hunting themes. They appear in miniature painting, carpets, clothing and metalwork. The hunting scenes on this and many related cabinets are usually thought to have been influenced by Mughal design. However, hunting themes were equally fashionable on high-quality European cabinets of the period. European cabinetmakers created hunting scenes using a variety of techniques, from inlaying materials into wood to etching on ivory. Etching on ivory allowed designers to copy images directly from printed works such as Livre de Chasse (book of hunting) (1563) by Gaston Phebus. |
| Bibliographic reference | Luxury goods from India : the art of the Indian cabinet maker / Amin Jaffer. London: V&A Publications, 2002 Number: 1851773819
pp.28-29, ill. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 885-1905 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | November 26, 2002 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
