Christ Child, Sri Lanka, second half of the 16th century
Carved rock crystal; gold mounts set with rubies and sapphires.
Height 13.7 cm
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem. Museum purchase, 1996
Rock crystal, a clear, colorless quartz, has been associated with India for
millennia. The ancient Roman author, Pliny, described Indian crystal as
superior to all others, a claim supported by the exceptional clarity of the
pieces used in this object.
Only a handful of such crystal Christian images survive. They were
produced in Sri Lanka for the private use of European patrons. The rubies
and sapphires set in gold mounts, which decorate the plinth under the
Christ Child, give the object the status of jewelry. Besides Christian
images, Sri Lankan and Indian carvers also made works for Hindu, Jain,
and Buddhist patrons.
Christ Child (Salvator Mundi), Portuguese India or the Philippines,
late 17th century
Carved, gilded, and painted ivory. Height 46.5 cm
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem. Museum purchase, 1998
A large number of Christian images were produced in Asia not just for
Europe, but also for the far-flung empires of Spain and Portugal, which
allowed refined works to be traded throughout the world. Few of these
works match the graceful monumentality of this Christ Child. As Salvator
Mundi (Savior of the World), the figure carries in his left hand the orb of
sovereignty surmounted by a cross. The Christ Child offers a blessing with
his right hand.
The sculptor of this figure shows an understanding of Western Baroque
sculpture, seen in the elegant contrapposto stance and the highly polished
surface. The figure (except the arms) is carved from a single tusk of
elephant ivory of the highest quality.
Ewer, Gujarat, ca. 1600
Wood core covered with mother-of-pearl, fixed by brass pins.
Height 23 cm
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem. Museum purchase, 2000
Craftsmen in Gujarat (in western India) were known for their ability to
work mother-of-pearl into finely patterned surfaces. Mother-of-pearl is the
luminous inner surface of various types of seashells, which can be very
thinly cut for use as a decorative material.
This ewer is an impressive display of skill and artistry. A wooden core has
been completely covered, inside and out, with precisely cut pieces of
mother-of-pearl. The curved parts of a shell were used around the handle,
foot, and spout. Each interlocking piece is fastened with a brass pin to
create a delicate, jeweled effect. The basic shape of this ewer was copied
from European models, originally made in pewter and silver.
Folding Game Board, Malabar Coast, late 17th century
Wood, ivory (partly stained in green), brass, silver, and iron hinges
Chess pieces: 17th or 18th century, ivory and ebony
width 53 cm
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem. Museum purchase, 1998
The game of chess may have originated on the Indian Subcontinent. From
the 16th century on, elaborately decorated chess boards in various
materials were exported to Europe. This game board can be folded up. A
hidden drawer held the chess pieces while an ingenious system of wires
played music whenever the drawer was opened.
The inlays of wood and ivory in this board indicates that it was made on
the Malabar Coast (in southwest India) for a Portuguese patron. The four
crowned double-eagles at the corners, perhaps derived from the insignia of
the Augustinian Order, is a common motif in Indo-Portuguese art.
Casket, Sri Lanka, probably Kotte, ca. 1550
Carved ivory; gold mounts set with rubies, turquoises, sapphires, and rock
crystal. Height 11 cm
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Bequest of William A. Coolidge
Ivory caskets were among the most precious objects produced in Asia for
export to Europe. Ten similar works are known, all shaped like a type of
15th-century European casket. The quality of carving and materials – solid
ivory, gems, and precious metals – strongly suggests that this casket was
destined for a princely collection in Europe.
The front, back, and lid are finely carved with scrollwork and a variety of
animals, mythical and real. The left side of the casket shows a female
figure holding a lotus flower in each hand. She is probably Lakshmi,
consort of Vishnu and the Hindu goddess of wealth and plenty. This is a
pertinent reference on an opulent object made to safeguard valuables.
Jewel Cabinet, probably Gujarat, early 17th century
Tortoiseshell (painted in part), wood, ivory, and metal; width 31.5 cm
Távora Sequeira Pinto Collection, Porto
Among the most admired Indian works of art first imported to Europe
were those made of tortoiseshell. The thinly cut shell of the Asian
hawksbill turtle, after treatment, becomes translucent and warm in tone.
On this small cabinet, which was almost certainly used to store jewelry by
a woman of rank, thin veneers of tortoiseshell were painted with figures
and foliage. Foil backing reflects light, allowing the figures to be seen
through the shell.
On the sides, monkeys, parrots, and peacocks appear among fruit trees and
flowers. Figures dressed in Western fashion are accompanied by servants.
Writing Cabinet, Malabar Coast, 17th century
Wood, ivory, and iron. Width 40.5 cm
Távora Sequeira Pinto Collection, Porto
Writing cabinets were among the most common types of furniture made in
India for export to Europe. In addition to serving as a writing desk, this
cabinet is fitted with lockable compartments ideal for storing documents,
coins, and precious objects. The lower left drawer accommodates an
inkwell and a sand shaker. The inner surfaces of the cabinet are inlaid
with ivory. The fall front shows a bird of prey attacking a duck: falconry
was a traditional pastime at Muslim as well as European courts. The motif
on the central drawer, which includes the initials IHS (the contraction of
the name of Jesus in Greek) is the symbol of the Jesuit Order. This
suggests that the original owner was a Jesuit missionary in Asia.
Casket, Gujarat, ca. 1600
Wood coated with a colored resin and inlaid with mother-of-pearl, silver
mounts. Height 19.5 cm
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
The casket was made in Gujarat in western India, a region known for its
skilled artists. It has been decorated with small pieces of mother-of-pearl
laid into a dark matrix. The origin of this particular shape of casket seems
to be Chinese or Korean. On the other hand, the decorative patterns show
the influence of Iranian art during the Timurid dynasty (15th century).
In contrast to the other objects in the exhibition, this casket shows no
European influence, but this did not prevent the type from being avidly
collected by Europeans. Isabella Gardner purchased the caskduring a stay in Venice; it was then thought to be Venetian.
Gourd Cup, probably Goa, early 17th century
Unidentified gourd, silver filigree mounts. Height 10.2 cm
Távora Sequeira Pinto Collection, Porto
This mounted cup demonstrates the European interest in exotic natural
objects, which were greatly prized by collectors during the Renaissance
and Baroque periods. Here, a peculiar gourd with six projecting lobes has
been given a mount of delicate silver filigree. The object thus displays
both the wonder of nature and human skill. In addition to their presence in
cabinets of curiosity, such cups were depicted in still-life paintings as
luxury articles.
Virgin and Child with Angels, European artist working in India, ca.
1600
Oil and gold on paper. Page: Mughal artist, ca. 1600: gold with wash and
watercolor on paper. Height 42.2 cm
Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge. Gift of John Goelet
The Virgin and Child with Angels suggests the complexity of artistic
exchange between the Catholic Portuguese and the Muslim Mughals.
Affixed to an album page is a sheet upon which a European artist has
painted the Virgin and Child – in turn based on a drawing by the Flemish
artist Maarten de Vos, known through an engraving.
The border is richly decorated by a Mughal artist at the court of Emperor
Jahangir (reigned 1605–27). The page was once part of a large album that
belonged to the emperor himself. It was filled with a variety of works,
ranging from specimens of Islamic calligraphy and Mughal miniatures, to
Christian images produced by European, Indian, and Iranian painters.
Chair
Bay of Bengal, 16th century
Carved, lacquered, and gilded wood, and cane. Height 65 cm
Museu d’Història de la Ciutat de Barcelona
Museu Monestir de Pedralbes
This chair combines techniques and decorative forms from Asia and
Europe. For many years, it was thought to have been made in Spain or
Italy. However, the stout low shape originated in the area around the Bay
of Bengal, in what is now eastern India and Bangladesh.
The chair is coated with lacquer (urushi), which is made from a tree sap.
The surface is both glossy and durable. The technique of gold applied to a
black background probably originated in Burma and Thailand. On the
other hand, the S-shaped volutes on the back and the carved leaves on the
legs and arms were inspired by European Renaissance forms.
Wall Hanging: Triumphal Arch (details), Bengal, mid-17th century
Silk embroidery on blue silk ground, with cotton backing
Height 267 cm
Luxury for Export: Artistic Exchange between India and Portugal around 1600
February 8 - May 4, 2008
At the end of the 15th century, Portugal discovered a direct maritime route into the Indian Ocean, establishing permanent trade and cultural contact with Asia. In addition to spices and other commodities, Portugal imported a variety of objects, often made of rare materials, triggering a demand for luxury goods made in India and Sri Lanka.
These works of Indo-Portuguese art represent a dynamic cultural exchange between East and West. Furniture, textiles, and religious items, made to order in the Indian Subcontinent, fused forms and styles. They are also the subject of Luxury for Export: Artistic Exchange between India and Portugal around 1600, a new scholarly exhibition at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, on view February 8 through May 4, 2008. Curated by Pedro Moura Carvalho, a leading scholar of Islamic and Indian art, the exhibition includes objects lent by museums and collectors in the United States and Europe, including the Sequeira Pinto Collection, Porto, and the Monastery of Pedralbes, Barcelona.
Luxury for Export expands on the Gardner Museums interest in cross-cultural connections, and in investigating how artists drew inspiration from distant civilizations, says Anne Hawley, Norma Jean Calderwood Director of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It is a natural follow-up to Bellini and the East, which celebrated a Renaissance painter working in Istanbul in the 15th century, and recent contemporary programs that have dealt with the fruitful but sometimes fraught encounters between Asia and the West. This exhibition will focus new attention on the sophistication of Indian export art.
The centerpiece of the exhibition is an embroidery purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner in 1897. Almost nine feet high, the textile depicts a triumphal arch surrounded by portraits of Portuguese kings. Its borders are filled with a delightful abundance of plants, animals, and figures: mermaids cavort with fantastical creatures among the waves; chariots with planetary gods parade by; and hunters pursue wild beasts.
At various times, the embroidery was thought to have been made in Spain or Goa (the capital of Portuguese India), and its source and central theme have long confused experts. This exhibition reveals for the first time the source of the textiles design: a print made in 1622 to commemorate the visit of Philip III to Lisbon. Moreover, the textile is more opulent than related examples: while about one hundred Bengali embroideries from this period are known, the Gardners textile is one of only two examples embroidered on blue silk, the others being undyed silk on plain cotton backings.
For the first time, we can connect one of these fascinating Indo-Portuguese embroideries to a specific source, and establish an approximate date for it, says Pedro Moura Carvalho, curator of the exhibition and author of the exhibition catalogue. The Gardner embroidery is also one of the most magnificent and complex works of art ever made in Asia for the European market. The patron must have been someone of great importance, almost certainly connected with the court in Lisbon or the Portuguese viceroy in Goa. The embroidery also shows us how discerning Mrs. Gardners taste was.
We are proud to present a new interpretation of our Bengal embroidery, says Alan Chong, Curator of the Collection at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Although viewers have long enjoyed the delightful animals and figures that appear on the silk, the main theme of the work was a complete mystery. Pedro Moura Carvalhos exciting discovery helps us appreciate Indian art made for Europe by focusing on an undiscovered masterpiece tucked in a corner of the museum.
It is remarkable how quickly ideas traveled around the world some 400 years ago. A Portuguese patron could send a print to Bengal (in eastern India) as the model for an embroidery; Christian images entered the personal album of a Muslim emperor; and Indian works of art were eagerly bought by collectors throughout Europe. The title of the exhibition, Luxury for Export, suggests that the exhibited objects, made by artists in India and Sri Lanka for export to Europe, were not mere craft but sophisticated works of art. Prized equally for their exoticism and for their aesthetic qualities, such works continue to delight and amaze, just as they reveal the emergence of global cultural exchange.
The Luxury for Export exhibition also showcases works of art of the same period made in what is now India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. These demonstrate the variety of exotic materials used in Indo-Portuguese art, including lacquer, rock crystal, tortoiseshell, rare gourds and nuts, mother-of-pearl, and ivory. Household objects a chair, jewelry, writing cabinets, and a portable chess set are displayed alongside religious works, including a bejeweled sculpture of the Christ Child. The exhibition also includes European items that were available in Asia, such as the print that inspired the embroidery and, remarkably, a painting of the Virgin and Child that was probably commissioned by the Mughal ruler of the northern Indian Subcontinent. Early Mughal emperors, though Muslim, were greatly interested in Christianity and enthusiastically collected Christian images.
A fully illustrated exhibition catalogue, written by Pedro Moura Carvalho, will be distributed internationally by Periscope Press and Prestel. The book establishes the historical context for the making of the Bengal embroidery, and each exhibited work receives a full entry. All objects are illustrated in color and a suggested reading list and bibliography complete the volume (hardcover; 90 pages; $24.95).
A companion website explores the exhibition in depth. Individual objects are cross-linked visually by material and theme, and interactives allow visitors to explore each piece and the Gardners embroidery in close detail. The site also provides details of all the programs designed to further the experience of Luxury for Export from a jazz concert by the Rudresh Mahanthappa Quartet to a conversation with celebrated author Bharati Mukherjee; a lecture by Vishakha Desai, president of the Asia Society; and a performance by former Artist-in-Residence, Gcina Mhlophe.
Luxury for Export is made possible by a generous grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
For more information go to: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
--Joanne Molina
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