{"id":8310101213334,"title":"A fine and important 18th century Indian silver and parcel gilt octagonal pandan box with pierced and engraved decoration.","handle":"a-fine-and-important-18th-century-indian-silver-and-parcel-gilt-octagonal-pandan-box-with-pierced-and-engraved-decoration","description":"\u003cp\u003eA fine and important 18th century Indian silver and parcel gilt octagonal pandan box with pierced and engraved decoration.\u003cbr\u003eThis beautiful object was created to store pan or paan, a stimulant prepared with the leaves of betel. Betel has a long history in Indian culture, chewing the leaves has a recorded history dating back to the third century C.E. and a sheaf of betel leaves is traditionally offered in India as a mark of respect and auspicious beginnings. Occasions on which it is offered include greeting elders at wedding ceremonies, celebrating the New Year, and offering payment to physicians and astrologers. The piercings, carefully integrated into the engraved decoration, allow air to circulate inside the box and would keep the leaves fresh for longer.\u003cbr\u003eThe lid of the box is very finely engraved with a scene from the Ramayana, the great epic of Indian history and Hinduism. On a throne like couch, we can see Rama with his consort Sita and an attendant (probably Lakshama, Rama’s younger brother) who is gently fanning them with a pankhi, the small, plumed fan of ancient Indian tradition. Kneeling before Rama and Sita displaying his devotion is Hanuman who plays a prominent part in the Ramayana as Rama’s friend, follower and the one who re unites him with Sita.\u003cbr\u003eAn 18th century painted version of the scene of Hamunan, Rama and Sita.\u003cbr\u003eEach of the figures is richly attired. As befits their station, Hanuman, Rama and Lakshama are crowned while Sita is adorned with jewels. The scene is surrounded with lush vegetation while a river abundant with fish runs along the bottom. Rama can also bee seen holding an arrow (bana) an emblem of his strength, courage, goodness, worthiness and divine origins. The nobility of all the characters is prominently emphasised as each represents the traits of divine strength and power. The craftsman has cleverly further emphasised the divine nature of Rama and Sita by incorporating a pierced halo around their heads.\u003cbr\u003eThe decoration continues on the boxes eight sides. The font panel depicts a lion amongst vegetation which is pierced providing a sense of depth as well as allowing air to flow and is repeated on the other side panels. The lion itself has a long history in Indian art being associated with a number of deities and symbolising power, courage, pride and confidence, all attributes manifested in Rama. The rear panel shows a large exotic bird, again against a background of pierced foliage. Its large scale suggests this is actually a representation of Garuda a Hindu demigod who helps Rama during his trials. He is also the mount of the god Vishnu, and as Rama is the seventh avatar of that deity his inclusion would be appropriate.\u003cbr\u003eThe remaining panels show waterfowl which in the context of the other imagery indicates they are intended to be Hamsa birds which are mentioned in the Ramayana. These birds are often identified with the Supreme Spirit and Ultimate Reality, they are the mount of the god Brahma and the goddess\u003cbr\u003eSaraswati. In combining these scenes, the silversmith has demonstrated a keen awareness of form, function and meaning. The highly refined engraving and keen attention to detail, combined with the iconography of nobility and the traits that were associated with it would suggest the box was intended for an educated member of the elite. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeasurements \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLength: 12.5cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWidth: 9.5cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeight: 4cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeight: 481 grams\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-12-02T15:12:56+00:00","created_at":"2024-12-02T15:12:56+00:00","vendor":"Joseph Cohen Antiques","type":"18th century Indian silver and parcel gilt octagonal pandan box with pierced and engraved decoration.","tags":["Indian Silver","Mughal And Deccani Silver"],"price":675000,"price_min":675000,"price_max":675000,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":44264862613654,"title":"Default 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fine and important 18th century Indian silver and parcel gilt octagonal pandan box with pierced and engraved decoration.\u003cbr\u003eThis beautiful object was created to store pan or paan, a stimulant prepared with the leaves of betel. Betel has a long history in Indian culture, chewing the leaves has a recorded history dating back to the third century C.E. and a sheaf of betel leaves is traditionally offered in India as a mark of respect and auspicious beginnings. Occasions on which it is offered include greeting elders at wedding ceremonies, celebrating the New Year, and offering payment to physicians and astrologers. The piercings, carefully integrated into the engraved decoration, allow air to circulate inside the box and would keep the leaves fresh for longer.\u003cbr\u003eThe lid of the box is very finely engraved with a scene from the Ramayana, the great epic of Indian history and Hinduism. On a throne like couch, we can see Rama with his consort Sita and an attendant (probably Lakshama, Rama’s younger brother) who is gently fanning them with a pankhi, the small, plumed fan of ancient Indian tradition. Kneeling before Rama and Sita displaying his devotion is Hanuman who plays a prominent part in the Ramayana as Rama’s friend, follower and the one who re unites him with Sita.\u003cbr\u003eAn 18th century painted version of the scene of Hamunan, Rama and Sita.\u003cbr\u003eEach of the figures is richly attired. As befits their station, Hanuman, Rama and Lakshama are crowned while Sita is adorned with jewels. The scene is surrounded with lush vegetation while a river abundant with fish runs along the bottom. Rama can also bee seen holding an arrow (bana) an emblem of his strength, courage, goodness, worthiness and divine origins. The nobility of all the characters is prominently emphasised as each represents the traits of divine strength and power. The craftsman has cleverly further emphasised the divine nature of Rama and Sita by incorporating a pierced halo around their heads.\u003cbr\u003eThe decoration continues on the boxes eight sides. The font panel depicts a lion amongst vegetation which is pierced providing a sense of depth as well as allowing air to flow and is repeated on the other side panels. The lion itself has a long history in Indian art being associated with a number of deities and symbolising power, courage, pride and confidence, all attributes manifested in Rama. The rear panel shows a large exotic bird, again against a background of pierced foliage. Its large scale suggests this is actually a representation of Garuda a Hindu demigod who helps Rama during his trials. He is also the mount of the god Vishnu, and as Rama is the seventh avatar of that deity his inclusion would be appropriate.\u003cbr\u003eThe remaining panels show waterfowl which in the context of the other imagery indicates they are intended to be Hamsa birds which are mentioned in the Ramayana. These birds are often identified with the Supreme Spirit and Ultimate Reality, they are the mount of the god Brahma and the goddess\u003cbr\u003eSaraswati. In combining these scenes, the silversmith has demonstrated a keen awareness of form, function and meaning. The highly refined engraving and keen attention to detail, combined with the iconography of nobility and the traits that were associated with it would suggest the box was intended for an educated member of the elite. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeasurements \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLength: 12.5cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWidth: 9.5cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeight: 4cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeight: 481 grams\u003c\/p\u003e"}