Lot 137: AN INDIAN PAINTED AND LACQUERED WOOD BOX WITH MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURES, KASHMIR, 19TH - 20TH CENTURY

An Indian painted and lacquered wood box, attributed to Kshmir and dating to the 19th or early 20th century. This rectangular wooden box features a lift-off lid and is decorated on all exterior surfaces with polychrome pigments and gold-toned accents. The lid and front panel depict a central seated figure with an aureole, possibly a deity or tantric holy man, positioned on a throne draped with tiger skins or supported by tigers. The central figure is surrounded by a group of attendants with human bodies and various animal heads, including monkeys, goats, and canines, playing musical instruments such as trumpets, drums, and cymbals. The scene is set against a dense background of gold-toned floral and foliate motifs. A decorative border of hamsa, or sacred geese, alternates in red, pink, and white around the edge of the lid. The side panels continue the theme with processions of animal-headed figures carrying ritual objects and instruments. The interior and base are finished in a dark, lustrous blue-black lacquer, with the natural wood grain visible on the underside.

16.5 x 9.5 x 7cm