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Classification
Ivory and Mother-of-pearl
Object name
Mother-Of-Pearl Doors
Geography
India
Period
Mughal, 18th century CE
Dynasty
Mughal
Materials and technique
Wood and mother-of-pearl
Dimensions
187 x 49.5 cm
Accession number
AKM00705
Description
The mother-of-pearl and wood combination of media as well as the form and design of this beautiful pair of doors indicate the native work of craftsmen from Gujarat, recognized in the sixteenth century as the centre of mother-of-pearl production. Smaller, portable objects also display a similar design composed as a puzzle of individual pierced pieces of mother-of-pearl. The doors may have once adorned a wealthy home or public structure, such as a temple or tomb. The chain suspended from the top of the right door suggests the door would have been situated in an interior, attaching to a hook within the doorframe to keep the door closed; a door with access to the exterior, on the other hand, would have received a stronger lock for greater security.
Other similar artefacts
2 pieces found
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