Private Art Education
  • Home
  • Services
    • Join the club
    • Museums
    • Private Tuition
    • Artist Guide
  • Whats on
  • History Blog
  • Calendar
  • Membership
  • Contact
    • Contact form and quote
    • Members’ registration form
    • Vacancies
  • Amsterdam Art Weekend
  • Press
  • Gallery

​​​​​Learn Art History in our Blog

Visiting Portugal. Indo-Portuguese Table Cabinet

18/8/2016

0 Comments

 

​​Exotic wood, teak, East Indian nosewood ivory and dyed ivory; iron fittings Gujarat, India or Sindh (in present-day Pakistan) mid-17th century.  

The present writing cabinets were modelled after European totypes and are portable objects which rank among the most prestigious of storage furniture from the 16th century. These costly pieces, were known in Germany as a schreibtisch or "writing desk", where the most coveted and expensive ones were produced. The hinged front drops down to form a surface for writing while the many drawers, some with individual locks, gave access to what was kept in the cabinet's multiple compartments, such as documents, writing implements and paper, or even jewels and other valuables. This type of luxurious piece of furniture was prevalent in the interior furnishings of European noble and patrician households and portable fall-front cabinets of this type were a basic requirement of European officials, merchants and traders living and travelling in Asia. Small, precious writing cabinets and boxes made in Asia with exotic and expensive materials such as tortoiseshell and ivory were much admired and avidly sought after in Europe due not only to their appealing design but also to their technical perfection. As is known by documentary evidence, namely from contemporary trav- el accounts, the production of this type of furniture was based in north-western India, n the coastal regions of Gujarat and Sindh (in present-day Pakistan), which were long-standing centres of production of luxury goods, where firmly established merchant communities from the Middle East, South-East Asia and Europe.
Decorated with two elegant rows of ten (six on the sides) alter nating flowering plants of multiple species some rendered naturalistically and others stylised inside the central field bordered by an undulating frieze of alternating flowers, most probably poppies, a similar, yet more naturalistic rendition of the species may be observed. One characteristic feature of this production, which may also be observed in similar cabinets ve neered in tortoiseshell, a the chequered borders. The in terior is fitted with ten drawers (one simulating two) fitted with small, turned and dyed ivory knobs, set in four tiers with a large square drawer at the centre. While the decora tion on the front of the drawers consists of two flowering plants (except for the centre drawer set with a single, taller flowering plant), the inner side of the fall-front is decorated with two baluster-vases with flowering plants alternating with smaller flowering plants. One curious aspect of its decoration is the presence of small curling clouds crowning the top of the upper row of flowering plants on the front These are clearly reminiscent of Chinese-style auspicious clouds. 
​On the other hand, similar cloud formations feature regularly in contemporary 
Persian carpets. In fact, the stylistic similarities between the inlay decoration and tex tiles with floral imagery namely to the so-called "shaped carpets" probably produced in Lahore in terms of their design and transmission, are clearly evident (see Walker 1998, p. 105). A matching rosewood veneered writing from the Victoria and Albert Museum, inv. no. 1599-1903, differs solely in its decoration of the central field of the fall-front exterior, which contrary to the present cabinet, features one single row of three flow ering plants. A similarly decorated table cabinet (28 x 54.9 41.3 cm) with two tiers of drawers, from the second half of the 17th century is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, acc. no. 1976.176.1 (see Merkel 1989, p. 152, cat, no. 161)
The most striking decorative feature on this cabinet is the architectural decoration of the central drawer: a two-dimensional depiction ofa domed pergola or pavilion with a baluster running across the lower section two baluster-shaped columns which support the dome and are crowned by two facing birds he ba on uster column. In the centre, a flowering plan depicted, harbouring as though in her nest, a Pelican  vulning herself, a theme also Pelican in her piety with a mother pelican cutting into her own flesh to feed her young with her blood. This is symbol Jesus Christ shedding his precious blood for the redemp tion of Humanity, and also a symbol for the Church distributing the graces of Christ's redemption in the mass and sacraments. It is a symbol of Christian piety and a recur. rent motif in so-called Indo-Portuguese art, used not only a religious context (which is probably the case here) but also in art works commissioned by wealthy officials, noble men and merchants in Portuguese Asia. One similar, albeit smaller example from the Tivora Sequeira Pinto collection 25.9 x 40.5 x 30.1 cm, features a similar design on the central drawer, with a matching domed pergola (see the  photos in the slide show)

​Source: PedroAguiar Branco AR-PAB Gallery
CHOISES Catalogue , Author Hugo Miguel Crespo, 
Art is from the Gallery collection, price on request
Contact:
Lisbon, 
AR-PAB Álvaro Roquette - Pedro Aguiar-Branco, Rua D. Pedro V, 69, 1250-093 Lisboa, Portugal, T. +351 213421682
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    Categories

    All
    Ai Weiwei
    Architecture Analysis
    Art News
    Artwork Analysis
    Bernini
    Contemporary Art
    Cubism
    Dutch Golden Age
    Frans Hals
    Fresco
    Harmony
    Impressionism
    Japanese Art
    Japonisme
    L'effet De Neige
    Masaccio
    Monet
    Pissarro
    Polychrome
    Pop Art
    Realism
    Renaissance
    Sculpture Analysis
    Spanish Art
    Titian
    Winter
    Women In Art

Testimonials

Picture

Visited together:
Vienna greatest museums;
National Gallery, London;
​V&A, London

Natalia Sokolova,
“Private Art Education guide naturally guided me into the world of art.. Her passion and inner energy brings inspiration and generates curiosity .. Her profound knowledge on artists and directions brought answers to all my questions... Hidden details of artists' visualizations.. Deep truth behind the obvious.. I simply love and enjoy the museum tours with Hanna.. Already looking forward to the next one in Wallace Collection"
Picture

 Visited together:
 Royal Academy of Arts,
 From Monet to Matisse,   Painting Modern Garden exhibition preview

Judi Piggott,
"Thank you, my private guide today to the Royal Academy of Arts London, she was highly thorough and very informative, at the end of our 2hour tour I was pleasantly educated about Monet, Manet, Matisse and the rest! Am looking forward to my next arty tour with Hanna!"
Picture

​ Visited together:
 Private view of
 Opera Gallery in Dubai International Financial Center, UAE

Ziad Boikli,
​"Art is not only talent, knowledge and experience, it must be with passion as well , and that’s exactly what Private Art Education guides have."
Picture

Visited together:
The National Gallery, London
The Golden Age of Venetian Art

Niels van der Velden,
"Although I have always been interested in art, the private art tours with Hanna have really increased my enthusiasm for art. I think it is her passion and extensive knowledge that made me feel this way.  I wholeheartedly recommend the Private Art Education membership program. Thank you."
Picture

​Visited together:
The Wallace Collection,
Masterpiece and LAPADA art fairs,
Commercial London galleries 

Julia Bethwaite,
"My husband and I enjoyed very much a private tour at the Wallace Collection, guided by Private Art Education. Besides it being a truly educative experience, we really had fun! Hanna has a deep passion to the world of art and a keen eye on detail, and it was a great pleasure to share that special energy and learn with her.
I also had a fantastic time at the Masterpiece Fair with Private Art Education group. The tour was both educative and entertaining! In addition, it was wonderful to meet likeminded people, who enjoy enriching their lives with a touch of art."
Picture

Visited together:
The National Gallery, 
Allegory of Love.
Private Art Education gold member 

Kievan Zokaei,
"When visiting galleries together with Private Art Education, with her vast knowledge and passion, she opens new horizons and greatly broadens my outlook towards arts. Personally, I cherish the opportunity and consider it food for soul. I highly recommend Private Art Education."

CONTACT US: 

education@privateart.co.uk
​+447500437326
Picture
© 2016 Private Art Education. All rights reserved. Company number 10459197
  • Home
  • Services
    • Join the club
    • Museums
    • Private Tuition
    • Artist Guide
  • Whats on
  • History Blog
  • Calendar
  • Membership
  • Contact
    • Contact form and quote
    • Members’ registration form
    • Vacancies
  • Amsterdam Art Weekend
  • Press
  • Gallery
✕