Footstool thumbnail 1
Not on display

Footstool

ca. 1855 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Brahmapur (made)

These pieces are based on models made in 1825-1850 in the Rococo Revival style. The chairs and matching footstools were made in Berhampur, India. The intricately carved ivory elements demonstrate the exceptional ability of local craftsmen of the bhaskar caste, who were renowned for their skill at working ivory. The chairs were probably designed for display at the Exposition Universelle, held in Paris in 1855. In his important work on ivories, W. Maskell described this suite as an example of exceptionally poor design. He thought 'these astounding specimens' showed ' vulgarity and bad taste' and 'a waste of a valuable and beautiful material'.

Object details

Categories
Furniture
India Museum
Object type
Footstool
Materials and techniques
Ebony, inlaid and mounted with ivory, with red velvet upholstery
Brief description
Footstool, ebony, inlaid and mounted with ivory, with red velvet upholstery, ca. 1855.
Physical description
Footstool, ebony, inlaid and mounted with ivory, with red velvet upholstery.
Dimensions
  • Height: 12.5cm
  • Width: 29cm
  • Depth: 29cm
Object history
Transferred from the India Museum in 1879. 1880 Register Entry: [Room 8. Case 36- continued.] '01,220. FOOTSTOOL. Carved ebony, inlaid with ivory and ivory ornaments; Berhampore.' (No slip number given.)
Summary
These pieces are based on models made in 1825-1850 in the Rococo Revival style. The chairs and matching footstools were made in Berhampur, India. The intricately carved ivory elements demonstrate the exceptional ability of local craftsmen of the bhaskar caste, who were renowned for their skill at working ivory. The chairs were probably designed for display at the Exposition Universelle, held in Paris in 1855. In his important work on ivories, W. Maskell described this suite as an example of exceptionally poor design. He thought 'these astounding specimens' showed ' vulgarity and bad taste' and 'a waste of a valuable and beautiful material'.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • 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.262, pl.89.
  • Luxury goods from India : the art of the Indian cabinet maker / Amin Jaffer. London: V&A Publications, 2002 Number: 1851773819 pp.110-111, ill.
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
01220(IS)

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Record createdNovember 29, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O71154/footstool-unknown/
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