Gallery Asset

Inlaid Box for the Portuguese Market

From the late sixteenth century onward, Mughal India actively exported goods to Europe, particularly to Portugal, where inlaid work was treasured. While there are many clear Europeanizing elements in the decoration of this box, the hunting scenes were originally inspired by Persian compositions, which had in turn become popular in Mughal painting. The undulating branches of the bird‑filled trees against which the European hunters and animals make this one of the most expressive pieces of its type.

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Type: photo
Date: 1600
Location: India
Continent: Asia
Keywords: box, trade, inlaid