Page 117 - Bonhams March 22 2022 Indian and Himalayan Art NYC

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A SILVER OFFERING BOWL WITH SCENES FROM On this remarkable offering bowl, the artist successfully interweaves
THE RAMAYANA several key scenes from the Ramayana into a tapestry-style
LOWER BURMA (MYANMAR), CIRCA 1890 composition. His attention to foot placement, pose, and gesture in the
The underside has an inscribed silversmith’s insignia of a fanged tiger culminating battle between Rama and Ravana beautifully bridges the
and the name of the bowl’s original patron, translated, “Broker Ko Bo literary and drama retellings of the Rama story, which both reached
Thar”. their zenith of popularity in the 19th century.
5 3/4 in. (14.5 cm) high; 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm) diameter;
43 troy oz (1,330 grams) approximate weight Of exquisite quality, this offering bowl stems from the height of the
Silver Age, between 1880 and 1910. The bold and sophisticated depth
$8,000 - 12,000 of plane in the silversmith’s repoussé work, finely chased details, well-
articulated flora and textiles, and incorporation of landscape backdrops
informed by European perspective, illustrate general transitions in
decorative conventions seen in the decades abutting the turn of the
20th century.

Published:
Owens, Burmese Silver Art, pp.73-4 & 180, nos.3.51 & 4.125.

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