{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O76374"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O76374/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN0055/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN0055/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AN0055","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AN0054","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O76374/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O76374","accessionNumber":"17-1852","objectType":"Casket","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>Caskets, cabinets and boxes of ornately carved sandalwood such as this one were made in large quantities in Mysore and the surrounding area.  These showpieces attest both to the virtuosity of local carvers and serve a function.  The interior of this casket, for example, is fitted with a number of lidded compartments, and it was probably designed as a jewellery box.<br><br><b>People</b><br>Articles of this type were manufactured by craftsmen of the Gudigar caste.  The term <i>gudigar</i> is thought to derive from the Sanskrit for either carver (<i>kuttka</i>) or temple (<i>gudi</i>), and was likely to have been inspired by the caste's hereditary role as temple painters and carvers working in wood, ivory and stone.<br><br><b>Historical Associations</b><br>The casket was displayed at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and was acquired by the Museum of Ornamental Art for £30  10s.  At the time of purchase it was considered to be an exceptionally fine example of Indian sandalwood carving and representative of the ability of Indian craftsmen to successfully marry ornament with form and materials.<br><br><b>Subjects Depicted</b><br>Motifs carved on caskets of this type typically featured the pantheon of Hindu gods and scenes from the great Hindu epics.  The lid of this casket depicts Shiva and his consort Parvati (Umamaheshvara) riding on his sacred bull, Nandi, flanked by a pair of dancers.  The front, back and sides of the casket are carved with a frieze of figures within arches.  These cannot all be identified but include the ten avatars or incarnations of Vishnu, and characters from the <i>Ramayana</i>.","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"sandalwood","id":"AAT12724"},{"text":"ivory","id":"AAT11857"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved sandalwood, with ivory fittings","categories":[{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Hinduism","id":"THES48941"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AN0055","2006AN0054"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"122F (VA)","id":"THES49220"},"free":"","case":"CA5","shelf":"","box":"32"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Jewel casket","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Mangalore","id":"x36281"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1850","earliest":"1845-01-01","latest":"1854-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"18","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"38.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"26.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured; 28/01/1999 by sf","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Jewel casket, sandalwood, Mangalore, c.1851.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Jaffer, Amin <font u>Furniture from British India and Ceylon: A Catalogue of the Collections in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum</font u>. London : V&A Publications, 2001.  ISBN 1851773185. p.152, fig.12."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Shiva","id":"N1687"},{"text":"Parvati","id":"N735"},{"text":"Nandi","id":"N1101"},{"text":"Vishnu","id":"N746"},{"text":"Jatayu","id":"N1958"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"arch","id":"AAT994"},{"text":"leaf","id":"AAT11892"},{"text":"dancer","id":"AAT25653"},{"text":"geometric pattern","id":"AAT165213"},{"text":"lotus","id":"AAT165258"},{"text":"flower","id":"AAT132399"},{"text":"animal","id":"x33594"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"hinduism","id":"AAT73727"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":["<font -u>Ramayana</font>"],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\r\nMany of the objects shown in the Indian Court were distinguished by intricate decoration and meticulous craftsmanship. The Exhibition Commissioners paid œ30.10s. (œ30.50p) for this box, a high price that reflected its quality. The lid depicts the Hindu gods Shiva and Parvati, while the sides show scenes from the Hindu epic the Ramayana.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["17-1852"],"accessionNumberNum":"17","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1852,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LM5432","2019LN1614","2019LP7727","2019LP0727","2019LR5999","2019LV3207","2019LV1667"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-04","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-10","availableToBook":false}}