Shield

22.4092

Shield

22.4092

Description

A copy of Qajar armour with figures.

When the personal belongings of Tipu Sultan found their way to London after his death in 1799, Indian art, especially arms and armour found a new market, in Europe. Personal items belonging to Emperors and Kings were in high demand in the 19th century West. This brought a new opportunity to the Indian craftsmen who were skilled at replicating anything and everything. This shield is a high-quality production and copy of a Qajar (1794-1925, Iran) work.

A war scene is depicted on the shield. There are exhibits of similar make - a helmet with chain of mail neck guard and arm guards - in the CSMVS collection. These were probably made in Lahore, which was not just an important political city but also a distinguished centre producing arms and armour.

Sir Ratan Tata Art Collection

Collection

Arms and Armour

Object Type

Sheild

Material

Steel, Damascened Gold

Schools/Culture/Period

Modern

Technique

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Date

19th century CE

Location

North India

Dimension

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