Arts of the Islamic World & India including Fine Rugs and Carpets
Arts of the Islamic World & India including Fine Rugs and Carpets
A monumental Mughal ivory-inlaid wood cabinet, India, 17th century
Auction Closed
March 31, 12:40 PM GMT
Estimate
40,000 - 60,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
of large rectangular form, the hinged fall-front revealing five registers combining 22 drawers decorated with ivory-inlaid floral designs with ivory knobs, fall-front interior with irises, cypress trees and chinoiserie cloud bands with floral border, the front and sides with similar motifs, top and rear of cabinet with possibly later inset panels comprising geometric ivory-inlaid designs, two metal handles to sides and simple lockplate
46 by 70.5 by 44cm.
This lot contains ivory. Due to recent changes in the laws of many countries (e.g. US, France) Sotheby's recommends that buyers check with their own government regarding any importation requirements prior to placing a bid. For example, US regulations restrict the import of elephant ivory and prohibit the import of African elephant ivory. Please note that Sotheby's will not assist buyers with CITES licence applications where a buyer elects to either collect or arrange their own shipping, nor will Sotheby's assist with the international movement of ivory by air, either as freight or through hand carry. Sotheby's shipping will only assist in shipping the lot to either domestic UK or EU destinations, where delivery is made by road transport. A buyer's inability to export or import these lots cannot justify a delay in payment or sale cancellation.
Ex-collection Geoffrey Jenkinson, Guernsey (d.2015).
This monumental fall-front cabinet was designed with an outstanding array of floral details inlaid in ivory. The popularity of flower studies in early-seventeenth-century Indian art is mostly associated with the Mughal school, where Jahangir's well-documented interest in flowers gave an added impetus to a group of artists and patrons already interested both in natural history and naturalism in painting. This is evident in the careful rendition of the floral stems on this example, each depicted with a slight variation and naturalistic sway.
The royal interest in floral studies coincided with the arrival in India of European images of flowers in the form of engravings, florilegia and perhaps official documents with floral borders (Brend in Arts of Mughal India: Studies in Honour of Robert Skelton, ed. A. Topsfield, R. Crill, S. Stronge, London, 2004, pp.138-140). For a similar fall-front cabinet and discussion of the use of floral motifs, see A. Jaffer, Luxury Goods from India: The Art of the Indian Cabinet-Maker, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2002, no. 24, pp.62-3).
The royal interest in floral studies coincided with the arrival in India of European images of flowers in the form of engravings, florilegia and perhaps official documents with floral borders (Brend in Arts of Mughal India: Studies in Honour of Robert Skelton, ed. A. Topsfield, R. Crill, S. Stronge, London, 2004, pp.138-140). For a similar fall-front cabinet and discussion of the use of floral motifs, see A. Jaffer, Luxury Goods from India: The Art of the Indian Cabinet-Maker, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2002, no. 24, pp.62-3).