Lightboxes
Cart
alb3643133

Saddle (gser sga)

Saddle (gser sga). Culture: Eastern Tibetan or Chinese for the Tibetan market. Dimensions: H. 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm); L. 22 1/2 in. (57.2 cm); W. 11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm). Date: 17th-18th century. This saddle represents a particular form found in Tibet, one that is Chinese or strongly influenced by Chinese types. It belongs to a small group of closely related saddles that may stem from a single workshop or reflect a specific type developed in one region. Notable features are the lively dragons, chiseled free from the scrollwork ground, and the unusual decorative technique involving silver damascening of the entire surfaces of the saddle plates, with select design elements highlighted by mercury gilding over the silver. Also very distinctive is the use of three layers of decoration: the outer layer of pierced scrollwork with long tendrils deeply undercut to give an appearance of depth, a second layer forming a subsidiary ground underlying each saddle plate and consisting of an iron grill damascened in silver to create a stylized cloud pattern, and a layer of colored cloth directly on top of the wood of the saddle-tree.
Share
pinterestPinterest
twitterTwitter
facebookFacebook
emailEmail

Add to another lightbox

Add to another lightbox
add to lightbox print share
Do you already have an account? Sign in
You do not have an account? Register
Buy this image. Select the use:
Loading...
Title:
Saddle (gser sga)
Caption:
Saddle (gser sga). Culture: Eastern Tibetan or Chinese for the Tibetan market. Dimensions: H. 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm); L. 22 1/2 in. (57.2 cm); W. 11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm). Date: 17th-18th century. This saddle represents a particular form found in Tibet, one that is Chinese or strongly influenced by Chinese types. It belongs to a small group of closely related saddles that may stem from a single workshop or reflect a specific type developed in one region. Notable features are the lively dragons, chiseled free from the scrollwork ground, and the unusual decorative technique involving silver damascening of the entire surfaces of the saddle plates, with select design elements highlighted by mercury gilding over the silver. Also very distinctive is the use of three layers of decoration: the outer layer of pierced scrollwork with long tendrils deeply undercut to give an appearance of depth, a second layer forming a subsidiary ground underlying each saddle plate and consisting of an iron grill damascened in silver to create a stylized cloud pattern, and a layer of colored cloth directly on top of the wood of the saddle-tree.
Technique/material:
Iron, gold, silver, wood, leather, textile
Museum:
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Credit:
Album / Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY
Releases:
Model: No - Property: No
Rights questions?
Image size:
3981 x 3982 px | 45.4 MB
Print size:
33.7 x 33.7 cm | 13.3 x 13.3 in (300 dpi)
Keywords: