Indo-Portuguese Cabinet

Goa, India, 17th century
132cm high, 90cm wide, 49cm deep
Stock no.: A4330
This item contains less than 10% ivory and has been registered with Defra.

+44 (0)20 7937 4422

This Goan cabinet was commissioned for the Portuguese market. Most surviving examples of its kind are standing on mermaid-like figures that may correspond to snake creatures in Hindu iconography, nagas and naginis, which are considered auspicious. Luxurious cabinets such as this style reflect 17th century European taste in furniture. It is precisely this type of furniture that fuelled the trade in luxury goods between India and Europe.
Literature:
Amin Jaffer, Luxury Goods from India: The Art of the Indian Cabinet-Maker, V&A Publications, London, 2002, p. 58-59

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