Mother-of-pearl furniture of this kind, using the contrasting black lac to enhance the designs, was exported from Western India to Europe, Ottoman Turkey and elsewhere. Combining Islamic geometric designs with its Indian palm-tree and leafy frond decoration, this casket may have been made for the Turkish market.
Harle, J. C., and Andrew Topsfield, Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 1987), no. 98 on p. 88, pl. 19 (colour) & p. 88
London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 21 April-22 August 1982, The Indian Heritage: Court Life and Arts under Mughal Rule, Robert Skelton, ed. (London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982), no. 551 on p. 162
Impey, Oliver, and Christiaan Jörg, Japanese Export Lacquer 1580-1850 (Amsterdam: Hotei Publishing, 2005), no. 115, pp. 77-78, illus. p. 77
Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 24 May 2006-23 December 2008, Treasures: Antiquities, Eastern Art, Coins, and Casts: Exhibition Guide, Rune Frederiksen, ed. (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 2006), no. 151 on p. 54, illus. p. 54
Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.
© 2013 University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum