88 - Set of five ivory (Elephantidae spp.) furniture inlays, carved and openworked with scenes of couples embracing beneath arcades supported by beaded pillars with makara-shaped capitals supporting palatial architecture.

Set of five ivory (Elephantidae spp.) furniture inlays, carved and openworked with scenes of couples embracing beneath arcades supported by beaded pillars with makara-shaped capitals supporting palatial architecture. Dimensions of each panel: 9.6 x 6 cm. Gross weight: 284.85 g. 18th century INDIA, Orissa Accompanied by an intra-Community certificate (CIC) authorizing the sale of the ivory. Reference: A similar plaque sold at Sotheby’s Paris, April 14, 2022, lot no. 247 Produced for an aristocratic or wealthy clientele, these carved ivory plaques were intended to adorn refined furniture and interiors. This decorative function is confirmed by accounts from European travelers, including, in the 17th century, the Italian traveler Pietro Della Valle, who, describing the palace of Vijayanagara, mentions a room “adorned with ivory carvings depicting lotuses, roses, and other flowers .”