October: Kashmir Tray

October’s Item of the Month is an exceptional Kashmir painted papier-mâché tray, Srinagar, North India, circa 1880, painted with amorous slightly erotic scenes, dancing figures, tigers, a leopard, a snake, a fish, horses, a bear, and chickens, the tray of canted rectangular form, on an angled and shaped base with feet.

The papier-mâché technique of using paper pulp for making decorative objects was first brought to Kashmir in the 14th century by Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, a Sufi mystic, who arrived to Kashmir along with his followers, many of whom were craftsmen. Decorative papier-mâché was a speciality of Kashmir and was made for both the local and European markets. Painted and varnished wood was often used in place of true papier-mâché from the later 19th century onwards, but the finest work, such as this tray, was produced by building up layers of moistened paper in a mould to the required shape, which was then smoothed, painted and varnished.

Provenance: Private Collection, Lincoln, UK.