Details
Description
An exceptionally intricate antique Burmese lacquerware plate featuring eight animal medallions believed to represent the traditional Burmese astrological calendar, surrounding …
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An exceptionally intricate antique Burmese lacquerware plate featuring eight animal medallions believed to represent the traditional Burmese astrological calendar, surrounding an elaborate palace or ceremonial pavilion.
In Burmese astrology, the week is divided into eight planetary days, with Wednesday distinguished between morning and afternoon. Each is associated with a symbolic animal: the Garuda bird, tiger, lion, tusked elephant, tuskless elephant, rat, guinea pig, and Naga serpent. The animals depicted on this plate appear to follow this fascinating tradition, reflecting the enduring influence of astrology in Burmese cultural life.
The plate is decorated in the traditional Burmese yun lacquer technique, with finely incised ornamentation in vermilion red, black, and muted yellow-green. Particularly remarkable is the exceptionally detailed background: delicate crosshatching creates a textured ground beneath rhythmic scrolling foliage, stylized leaves, and carefully arranged geometric borders. The combination of intricate linework and richly contrasting pigments demonstrates the considerable skill involved in its creation.
The plate appears to be constructed over a traditional coiled-bamboo foundation, visible where the lacquer has worn away on the reverse. Bamboo formed the structural basis of much historic Burmese lacquerware, with successive applications of lacquer and filler creating the smooth surface upon which artisans executed their elaborate designs.
The composition is characteristic of the celebrated lacquer working traditions of Burma (present-day Myanmar), particularly those associated with Bagan, historically known as Pagan. The densely worked ornament, architectural imagery, and astrological symbolism reflect an artistic tradition developed and refined over centuries.
Believed to date to the mid to late 19th, this beautifully detailed piece offers both striking decorative appeal and a fascinating connection to Southeast Asian craftsmanship and cultural history.
An exceptional accent for a collected interior, displayed on a stand or incorporated into a gallery wall.
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- Dimensions
- 9.5ʺW × 1ʺD × 9.5ʺH
- Styles
- Asian Antique
- Period
- Late 18th Century
- Country of Origin
- Myanmar
- Item Type
- Vintage, Antique or Pre-owned
- Materials
- Bamboo
- Lacquer
- Condition
- Good Condition, Original Condition Unaltered, Some Imperfections
- Color
- Red
- Condition Notes
- Antique condition with well-preserved decorative imagery on the front and minor age-related surface wear. The underside exhibits localized black lacquer … moreAntique condition with well-preserved decorative imagery on the front and minor age-related surface wear. The underside exhibits localized black lacquer loss, exposing what appears to be the bamboo foundation, along with a raised but firmly attached, fragile section of lacquer near the rim. The affected area is confined to the reverse; the decorative face remains intact. Please review photographs carefully. less
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