A FINE GILT-LACQUERED TEAK WOOD PANEL WITH DEVAS, BURMA, 19TH CENTURY

A FINE GILT-LACQUERED TEAK WOOD PANEL WITH DEVAS, BURMA, 19TH CENTURY

The rectangular panel is decorated in gilded and molded relief work, also known as thayo, featuring four devas within hatched cartouches, framed by floral scrollwork and geometric borders, further lined by cartouches enclosing mythical beasts, with butterflies in the corners and wavy borders around the edges.

Provenance: New York trade. By repute acquired from a private estate in Long Island, New York.

Condition: Good condition with minor old wear, little warping, small repairs and fills to the edges and reverse with associated regilding, little flaking and rubbing to the gilt, tiny chips, and few natural age cracks.

Weight: 8.6 kg
Dimensions: Size 93.4 x 43.5 cm

The present panel was likely once part of a manuscript chest or sadaik, a traditional repository used in Burmese monasteries to protect palm-leaf manuscripts. Such chests were often richly ornamented in thayo, a distinctive Burmese decorative technique employing a putty-like material made from tree sap mixed with ash, which was modelled in relief to create elaborate ornamental designs.

The back is undecorated and mounted for hanging.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related gilt lacquer storage chest, sadaik, Burma, dated 19th century, in the Northern Illinois University, Konrad and Sarah Bekker Collection, reference number BC 87.01.32.00. Compare a related Burmese gilt-lacquered wood manuscript chest similarly carved with devas, dated 19th century, 101 x 66 x 64.5 cm size, in the British Museum, registration number 2004,0628.23.

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