A large and finely carved mysore sandalwood casket South India, circa 1850

A LARGE AND FINELY CARVED MYSORE SANDALWOOD CASKET

South India, circa 1850

A particularly large and profusely carved South Indian sandalwood casket, almost certainly Mysore, the entire exterior worked in exceptionally dense low and high relief with animals, birds and luxuriant scrolling foliage.

The stepped rectangular lid is arranged in successive carved registers, the principal panels containing numerous animals within circular medallions, including elephants, deer or antelope, felines and other beasts, surrounded by deeply worked flowering and foliate scrolls. The upper raised panel continues the scheme with further animal medallions, while the borders are filled with birds and animals moving amongst dense vegetation.

The sides are similarly elaborately carved, the front centred by a series of animal-filled roundels amongst scrolling foliage and fitted with a small metal drop handle. Raised on four later or associated cast-metal paw feet.

The extraordinary density of the ornament and the almost complete elimination of undecorated surface are characteristic of the celebrated sandalwood carving workshops of Mysore in southern India, where highly scented sandalwood was used for luxury boxes, caskets and small items of furniture intended both for Indian patrons and the growing European market.

Mysore carving became particularly admired during the 19th century for its extremely intricate treatment of indigenous flora and fauna. Elephants, tigers, deer, birds and other animals were frequently incorporated into elaborate foliate compositions such as those seen here, the fine grain of sandalwood allowing the carver to achieve remarkable minuteness of detail.

Carved sandalwood with metal fittings and paw feet.

H 24  x  W 57  x  D 34cm