Furniture

Coromandel Coast

Ebony, bone & cane
India

• Circa 1650 - 1680
  98 x 48 x 45 cms
  

With the exception of the twist-turned components, this chair is decorated with low-relief carving on a hammered background. The legs & rails feature a double spiral twist. This type of twist is often found in combination with low–relief carving and a hammered background.

According to Veenendaal, the carvings on these chairs point to the Coromandel Coast. Rumphius (1628 - 1702) & Valentijn (1666 - 1727) reported the presence along that coast of various furniture-making centres where this kind of carving was practised. The motifs in the wood carving are derived from Hindu mythology as depicted in Medieval Temples of South East India. Most of them are drawn from the plant or animal world. A distinguishing feature of this type of carving is the symmetry of the opposing figures & the comprehensive background decoration. The two finials represent lions holding shields & these are brilliantly executed.

Literature:
J. Veenendaal, "Furniture in Batavia", in T. Eliens (ed.), Domestic interiors at the Cape & in Batavia 1602–1795, Zwolle, 2001; Amin Jaffer, "Furniture from British India & Ceylon" V & A Publications 2001