Closing of Elegant Design

March 27, 2014

Elizabeth Prendiville of Saffronart New York covers the results of the popular Elegant Design 24 hour sale.

A MAGNIFICENT AND RARE ART DECO CHANDELIER
http://www.saffronart.com/customauctions/AuctionResults.aspx?eid=3658

New York: Tuesday March 25^th marked the opening of Elegant Design, Saffronart’s premier vintage interior design sale. The sale was immediately followed by its twin auction, Works on Paper, opening on March 26^th. Elegant Design featured 109 important vintage items in interior and decorative art including rugs, silver, and various furniture pieces. Each lot was carefully selected to represent the most pivotal periods in the decorative arts both in India and worldwide. An example of this can be seen in the campaign furniture, depicting the specific needs of the British army in the 18^th and 19^th century.

A CAMPAIGN WRITING TABLE http://www.saffronart.com/customauctions/AuctionResults.aspx?eid=3658

Spanning the most pivotal eras in interior design history, each lot also featured a variety of exquisite mediums and materials. The sale featured pieces made from a variety of rare woods such as rosewood, teakwood, mahogany and padauk wood. Graceful, small items such as A Rare Matched Pair of Kutch Silver Tea Cups (Lot 68) and large statement pieces such as An Indian Mother Of Pearl Door (Lot 105) all displayed a variety of excellent aesthetic detail appropriate for any space. Exhibiting equal parts beauty and function, each lot was an exceptional addition for any collection and home.

A STUNNING AND HIGHLY IMPORTANT EBONY HEADBOARD http://www.saffronart.com/customauctions/AuctionResults.aspx?eid=3658

Due to the wide range of beautiful vintage pieces the sale received extremely positive media coverage from a variety of media publications including Elle India, ArtDaily and DNA India. The top ten valued items from the sale ranged from furniture to silver flatware to lighting fixtures. The highest winning lots included A Magnificent and Rare Art Deco Chandelier (Lot 25) coming in at $18,772 and A Stunning and Highly Important Ebony Sideboard (Lot 33) with a winning value of $9,447. Overall the most popular and sought after items varied greatly in materials, geography and design history. The sale concluded with sixty-six lots sold and a total winning value of $176,469. It is clear from the warm reception and enthusiasm for these beautiful items that vintage design and décor is still a lovely and timeless edition to any buyer’s collection.

To learn more about some of the items featured in Elegant Design visit Campaign Furniture: Historical Function and Design and click here for a full analysis of the overall sale.

‘Shine’ – 200 Years of Human Ingenuity

August 12, 2013

Ipshita Sen of Saffronart explores an exhibit at the Textile Museum of Canada

New York: The Textile Museum of Canada presents its exhibit “Shine” this summer. Curated by Natalia Nekrassova and Sarah Quinton, this exhibition promises to be a visual delight. It takes its audiences on a cultural journey through the lenses of the varied and highly representative textile industries across Asia.

“For centuries, the light and luster of materials have captivated cultures and societies, artisans and artists, attributing to even simple objects an allure of beauty, luxury and opulence. Throughout the world, reflective metals, mirrors, silver- and gold-wrapped thread, sequins, beads and even insect wings have been skillfully transformed to create some of the most mystifying and coveted cultural and personal expressions.”

The exhibition thus represents human ingenuity over a period of 200 years. Primarily consisting of handmade objects that are celebratory and commonplace, it features an expansive array of textile artists from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, South East Asia, China and Japan, reflecting on their respective cultures and contrasting perspectives on the ideologies of style and status.

Objects on display are an elaborate mix of pieces from the museum’s permanent collection, and the works of contemporary artists such as Carmelo Arnoldin, Ghost of a Dream, Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky. Viewing works from the past and present in the same space, creates an interesting dialogue between the works, not only cross culturally, but also traditionally. It is thus an interesting juxtaposition, where one can clearly understand the conflicting and complex ideologies of desire, wealth, status and beauty among different kinds of people.

A few highlights of the collection include:

Banjara Tribe blouse

A blouse, tracing back to mid 20^th century Karnataka, in South India. The garment is said to have belonged to the Banjara people/tribe, earlier known to be baggage carriers of the Mughal armies in the 17^th century. They now live simple lives in rural India. The blouse displays the fantastic workmanship and the rich traditions of the Banajra people in India.

Chola Sindh wedding blouse

Another garment on display is this beautiful and intricately designed wedding blouse, dating back to mid 20^th century Sindh in Pakistan. The local name given to this piece of garment is “chola”. It is reflective of the rich textile skills and culture of the Lohana community in Sindh. Chola’s are the most spectacular with rich embroidery and ornamental finish. It is to be worn by a bride in addition to trousers and a long veil.

Below we see an intricately designed silk robe, tracing its roots to 19^th century China, locally called ‘Jifu’.

Chinese silk robe

The exhibition is accompanied with various informational seminars, lecture sessions and guided tours. In an effort to keep audiences engaged and to provide an opportunity to participate in interesting conversations with the curator and specialists involved.

The Textile Museum of Canada, based in Toronto, is one of the most engaging visual art organizations of its kind. With a private collection of more than 12.000 objects across over 200 countries, it curates captivating exhibitions that are culturally diverse and unique.

The Splendors of India’s Royal Courts Displaying In The Forbidden City.

June 26, 2013

Emily Jane Cushing suggests ‘The Splendors of India’s Royal Courts’, an exhibition curated by the Victoria and Albert Museum for the Palace Museum, Beijing.

Detail of Religious procession. A scroll showing, About 1825-1830. Image Credit; http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/m/maharaja-the-splendour-of-indias-royal-courts/

London: For the first time the arts of Royal India are coming to China.

The exhibition will take place in the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City until 31st July 2013. This setting results in a collision of two of the greatest and richest civilizations in one place.

The 113 especially selected works are from London’s V&A collection, the range of objects is vast, including paintings, textiles, jewelry, thrones and arms and armor as well as instruments; all spanning from the 18th-19th century.

Stringed instrument, North India, 1800-1880; Image Credit, http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2013-06/14/content_16618619.htm

The works are symbolic of the wealth, power and influence of the Maharajah of the period. The magnificent works were intended to enhance status and royal identity and also reflect the shifts of power within the Royal kingdom.

The diverse exhibition is separated into four parts; the Darbar, Palace Life, Beyond the Palace and The Influence of the West.

The Darbar, meaning Royal court, is the area in which private rituals would take place which were attended by only courtiers and nobles. Formal events such as the King’s birthday however, were celebrated in public view. During these events the public would see their ruler drenched in the finest textiles and jewelry and surrounded by ceremonial weapons and royal regalia, all of which signified his wealth and power and examples of such on display here.

Turban Ornament, Mughal Court, 1700-1750; Image Credit; http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2013-06/14/content_16618619.htm

This turban ornament is a small example of the ornate decoration used on objects for ceremonial use that are displayed in this exhibition. The craftsmanship is evident here with the hand cut emerald, rubies and jade delicately placed. Interestingly, these objects of finery were often made by the private courts makers, intended for the sole use of the royal family and made only from the finest materials.

The second section of the exhibition, Palace Life, explores the private lives of the rulers and their consorts; there are examples of instruments, board games and costumes which were used as past-times and for pleasure.

The below work of a woman holding a kite is from this part of the exhibition, the kite symbolizing a distant lover; interesting to note is the figures and images in these works are not factual and are always imaginary scenes with symbolic value, usually evoking romantic notions.

Lady Flying a Kite, Bikaner or Jodhpur, 1730-1750; Image Credit, http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2013-06/14/content_16618619.htm

The third section of the exhibition, Beyond the Palace, shows the life of the King outside of the royal palace. These images of a richly adorned king joined by his horses and elephants are believed to show the kings ability to protect his country from threats.

Painting of procession on Ram Singh II of Kota, India, Circa 1850; Image Credit, http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/m/maharaja-the-splendour-of-indias-royal-courts/

The final section, The Influence of the West, examines the impact of Western culture on the Indian Royal courts and includes portraiture by British artist Tilly Kettle and others. These works exhibit western painting techniques such as chiaroscuro and perspective.

I hope you like the look of this exhibition; I do! This diverse and exciting collection is showing until 31st July at the Palace Museum, Beijing.

Further information can be found here.

From India East: Sculpture of Devotion

June 1, 2013

Emily Jane Cushing shares a note on the exhibition ‘From India East: Sculpture of Devotion’ at the Rubin Museum, New York

From India East: Sculpture of Devotion, the Rubin Museum of Art, New York

New York: The Rubin Museum of Art in New York is home to exhibits that show the artistic heritage of the Himalayan region, a vast and culturally varied area of the world which still remains relatively ambiguous. The collection consists of paintings, sculptures, textiles and other artifacts, and although the works of art range in date over two millennia, most reflect major periods and schools of Himalayan art from the twelfth century onward.

This week, the museum will be opening a year-long exhibition (May 31 2013 – July 7 2014) showing treasures of Asian art borrowed from the Brooklyn Museum as it renovates some of its Asian galleries. This major loan will allow the Rubin Museum to exhibit art from beyond the Himalayan region, including pieces from countries such as Japan, Cambodia, Burma, Korea, Indonesia and Thailand.

The curators of the exhibition have selected a range of objects for this exhibition in a way that connects with the Rubin Museum’s own collection. Through this exhibition, they hope to trace “the origins of Buddhist and Hindu sculptural art in Asia to its roots, showing the stylistic evolution by both geographic distribution and time period”.

On Wednesday, July 17, 2013, the museum will host the talk ‘Exporting Enlightenment’ by Joan Cummins, Curator of Asian Art at Brooklyn Museum, which will focus on pieces from the exhibition to “seek out the commonalities between seemingly disparate images of Hindu and Buddhist deities. The sculptures reveal a network of exchange and appropriation that is far richer and more complex than the simple eastward vector of influence that we expect to find in the history of Asian art.”

For more information, have a look at the exhibition website.

Wynyard Wilkinson on ‘Silver from the Indian Sub-Continent 1858-1947’ at Saffronart

May 18, 2013

Emily Jane Cushing shares a note on a talk given by Wynyard Wilkinson at Saffronart in London

Wynyard Wilkinson introducing the evenings event.

London: On Wednesday 15 May, before the preview of the new Saffronart exhibition ‘Silver From the Indian Sub-Continent 1858-1947’ author and Antique silver specialist Wynyard Wilkinson held an informative discussion on the decorative nature of the silver articles on display.

Wynyard Wilkinson describing ‘Cutch’ style silverware.

Despite the many aspects of silver production during the colonial period in India, given the diverse nature of decorative designs varying from region to region, Wilkinson touched on all the key styles. He noted the aesthetic features and purposes of various pieces, and underlined the relationships between geographical areas and designs, also noting that various regional designs often inter-link.

Wynyard Wilkinson discussing Kashmiri style silverware.

First, Madras “Swami Ware” was taken in to account. Wilkinson noted that despite the fact that ‘swami’ designs exhibited fine and intricately detailed ornamentation of Hindu deities and mythological figures, the style was a huge success in Europe and Great Britain. The most frequently depicted deities in this genre are Vishnu and Brahma riding their vahanas, or associated animals.

Bangalore Silver ‘Swami-ware’ Three Piece Tea-set by Krishniah Chetty
c. 1900. http://www.saffronart.com/fixedjewelry/PieceDetails.aspx?iid=35977&a=

After the Madras region, the discussion turned to Cutch silver, known for its attractive patterns of scrolling foliage intertwined with animals, birds and hunting scenes. The Cutch style was the most venerated Indian silverware in the late 19th century. Wilkinson particularly noted the resemblances to 17th century Portuguese pottery decorations, and distinctive similarities in the depiction of animal and bird figures with Persian decoration.

Cutch Silver Large Goblet c. 1890. http://www.saffronart.com/fixedjewelry/PieceDetails.aspx?iid=35981&a=

Next, Wilkinson focused on Kashmiri silver, highlighting the shawl pattern in particular. Taking inspiration from the prevalent Kashmiri weaving industry, this pattern illustrates vines of blossoms and leaves amid and between flowing scrolls; these scrolls sometimes lack detailing as to accentuate the distinction between the floral and the scroll aspects of the pattern.

Kashmir Parcel Gilt Set of Four Finger Bowls and Plates in ‘Shawl’ Pattern c. 1900. http://www.saffronart.com/fixedjewelry/PieceDetails.aspx?iid=35971&a=

Wilkinson then moved on to silverware produced in Lucknow. Designs from this region are most commonly recognized for their use of two patterns, the ‘jungle’ and the ‘hunting’ pattern. These patterns feature, although not to scale, forests of palm trees containing both animal and male figures, and bold male figures on elephant back pursuing wild animals or competing in sporting activities.

Lucknow Silver Swing-handle Basket in ‘Hunting’ Pattern c. 1890. http://www.saffronart.com/fixedjewelry/PieceDetails.aspx?iid=35991&a=

The eclectic diversity of the silversmithing in Bombay, as a result of immigrant artisans from many regions of India who brought with them a wide range of design and decorative influences, was also discussed. Wilkinson noted, when discussing specific pieces, the use of domestic picture design by Bombay artisans, as a conscious move away from Cutch style foliage designs.

Bombay Silver Pair of Bird Vases c. 1920. http://www.saffronart.com/fixedjewelry/PieceDetails.aspx?iid=35950&a=

To conclude his informative talk, Wynyard Wilkinson drew the audience’s attention to two unique oversize examples of Indian colonial silverware on display. First, a large hand-rinsing fountain produced in Cutch in 1910, and, second, a voluminous two-handled vase crafted in Madras in 1890.

Cutch Silver Hand-rinsing Fountain c. 1910. http://www.saffronart.com/fixedjewelry/PieceDetails.aspx?iid=36004&a=

Madras Silver Large Two-handled Vase c.1890. http://www.saffronart.com/fixedjewelry/PieceDetails.aspx?iid=36007&a=

The exhibition will be on view till May 31, 2013, from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm Monday to Friday, and Saturday by appointment at Saffronart, London.

The catalogue may also be viewed online.

State of the Art

Posts filed in Antiquities

Closing of Elegant Design

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‘Shine’ – 200 Years of Human Ingenuity

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The Splendors of India’s Royal Courts Displaying In The Forbidden City.

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From India East: Sculpture of Devotion

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Wynyard Wilkinson on ‘Silver from the Indian Sub-Continent 1858-1947’ at Saffronart

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