Bridal casket

second half 16th century

Not on view

This bridal casket, veneered on all surfaces of the exterior with mother-of-pearl applied with silver pins in a tesserae technique, is a masterpiece of its genre. The small corpus of objects to which it belongs is associated with Gujarat in coastal western India and encompasses works that date from in the second half of the sixteenth into the early seventeenth century. While the decorative technique and aesthetic are Indian, the forms to which they are applied is European. Produced for Portuguese clients and primarily intended for use in Asia, upon return to Europe, such objects acquired significant value as marvels, made of exotic materials with dazzling artistry.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Title: Bridal casket
Date: second half 16th century
Culture: India, Gujarat, and Goa or Lisbon
Medium: Teak, mother-of-pearl veneer and painted interior with silver mounts
Dimensions: H. 6 1/8 in. (15.6 cm); D. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm); L. 10 3/16 in. (25.8 cm)
Classification: Shell
Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund and Florence and Herbert Irving Acquisitions Fund for Asian Art, 2024
Object Number: 2024.480a, b
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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Unknown maker for R. & S. Garrard & Co.
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Part of a Hanging or Curtain, Silk; satin weave with weft-patterned and warp-patterned stripes — Part of a Hanging or Curtain
ca. 1600

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