Rare set of eight ivory casket or cabinet plates... Lot 296

Rare set of eight ivory casket or cabinet plates carved in bas-relief of erotic scenes in interiors. Six show a man and a woman, another one a woman and three men, one man and five women; two of them depict Portuguese merchants. East India, late 18th/early 19th century Heights: 7.4 cm to 10.2 cm - Widths: 7.4 cm to 10.3 cm - Total weight: 470 g (slight wear and tear and cracks, small restorations to two of them) Bases Origin: Former private collection, England These tablets represent Yoni Asana yoga inspired postures as seen in the 13th century Hindu temple of Konarak in Orissa, eastern Indian peninsula (fig.). Here the sculptor has modelled more on miniatures or drawings from a manuscript whose purpose was to highlight the act of love. The presence of two Portuguese and a Western-style armchair is noteworthy, indicating that these plates were most likely intended for European trade.