Anglo-Indian
India, Height: 62.5 cm, Width: 32.5 cmIn 19th century Britain, the ill effects of the Industrial Revolution motivated scholars, artists, and architects to find ways to tackle pressing dehumanisation issues. The Arts and Crafts Movement was born out of such considerations, and it focused on the work of artists and craftspeople creating decorative objects. The ideas of this movement stemmed from the work of William Morris, a designer, who believed that people should have access to beautifully crafted objects of a utilitarian nature. Parallely, in India, this was a time when the British colonial government had started to establish art colleges for the purpose of training artists who could help fulfil the needs of the empire.
In the Hoshiarpur district of Punjab, W Coldstream, who was the Deputy Commissioner from 1880 to 1883, took this philosophy and encouraged artisans to make decorative objects and furniture in a style that is commonly known as the Anglo-Indian style for the European market. At the time, oriental curiosities in the Middle Eastern and Islamic style were very much in vogue in Europe, and these pieces arising out of the cultural integration, made in Hoshiarpur, achieved great success.
The characteristic style of the Hoshiarpur pieces had intricate foliate designs and featured materials such as exotic wood, which would be carved with varied types of wood and inlaid with precious stones. The craftspeople of North India used local wood as it was easily available from the Himalayan region and was extremely durable. It would not warp or split, making it a perfect material for furniture. This rectangular mirror features a chevron border and foliate designs. The cusped upper section is inlaid with a design of peacocks, foliage and a vase with a floral spray.
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