16th/17th Century Indo-Portuguese Table with Bone Inlays
Located in Porto, PT
Rare Indo-Portuguese table in ebony with engraved bone inlays - late 16th/early 17th century. Rare table or small sideboard of Indo-Portuguese production, made of wood veneered in ebony and profusely decorated with engraved bone inlays. Rectangular top arranged in the manner of an oriental carpet, with a large central composition of concentric polygonal reserves, centered by a rosette. Around it are distributed panels of different shapes, finely engraved and filled in black, representing animals, birds, floral motifs and vegetal scrolls. The ornamental language, combining Persian-inspired geometries with fauna and vegetation of Mughal tradition, brings the piece closer to furniture produced in Western India - possibly Gujarat, Sindh or the Northern Province of the former Portuguese State of India - for Portuguese and European clients. Similar furniture in ebony, bone and engraved ivory is attributed to the period between the late 16th century and the first decades of the 17th century. Lower structure in Iberian style, composed of four spirally turned legs ending in spherical feet, laterally connected by cut-out crossbars. Stabilization is achieved through crossed iron tie rods. The lower construction, the large fixing blocks, and some differences in the hardware suggest early interventions. It is possible that the top was composed of Indo-Portuguese panels...
Antique 16th Century Portuguese Baroque Cabinets
Bone, Wood, Ebony
