Dhal SHIELD

Indo-Persian culture, Mewar, India

Around 1800

Skin, money and pigments

Diam.: 42 cm

Round shield or rondache in convex leather with slightly hemmed edges, punctuated by a polychrome decoration painted with flowers, stained glass discs and cut-out, chiseled and applied silver inserts.

The composition evolves around a finely incised and openwork silver floral rosette, of which it forms the bud of a second flower, with eight petals, evolving over the entire surface of the shield. Each of these petals is decorated at its end with a nailed silver flower, finely cut. Four buttons of raised rivets and animated by radiant suns with anthropomorphic features also occupy the center of the piece - the sun, considered as a symbol of eternal life, is to be associated with the Qajar period.

The border of the roundel is punctuated by a frieze of silver florets applied to the background pigmented with black, red ochre and yellow, of which it is still possible to see traces of gilding.

Four iron fixing rings on the reverse.

Text and photos © FCP CORIDON

Ref.: 5199