Anglo-Indian Kashmiri Papier-Mâché Art Nouveau Table Lamp, Circa 1900

Details

Description

A fine Anglo-Indian Kashmiri papier-mâché and polychrome wood table lamp of Art Nouveau period taste, formed with an elongated baluster … Read more A fine Anglo-Indian Kashmiri papier-mâché and polychrome wood table lamp of Art Nouveau period taste, formed with an elongated baluster standard rising from a domed circular base. The surface is decorated in a green ground with black teardrop motifs and fine linear ornament, giving the lamp a rhythmic, botanical character well suited to the late 19th and early 20th century fascination with sinuous natural forms. The slender profile and stylized decoration place it comfortably within the Art Nouveau era while retaining the hand-finished character of Kashmiri decorative work.

Kashmiri papier-mâché was widely admired in the Anglo-Indian market for its lightweight construction, layered lacquered surface, and richly painted ornament. Pieces of this type were often made for export and domestic colonial interiors, where Indian craft traditions were adapted into European forms such as lamps, boxes, trays, and decorative vessels. In this example, the tall tapering form and subdued green-and-black palette create a more restrained decorative effect than the densely floral Kashmiri pieces more commonly encountered.

Measurements: 16.75" h x 5.25" w See less