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Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Honolulu, Hawai‘i. (Photo: David Franzen, 2017.)
Carved Wooden Chest with Inlaid Mother of Pearl Floral Motifs
Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Honolulu, Hawai‘i. (Photo: David Franzen, 2017.)
Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Honolulu, Hawai‘i. (Photo: David Franzen, 2017.)
Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Honolulu, Hawai‘i. (Photo: David Franzen, 2017.)

Carved Wooden Chest with Inlaid Mother of Pearl Floral Motifs

Date19th century
PeriodOttoman
MediumWood/, mother-of-pearl, metal wire and hardware
DimensionsOverall: 40 1/4 x 60 1/2 x 25 3/4 in. (102.2 x 153.7 x 65.4cm)
ClassificationsWoodwork
Object number65.2
DescriptionThe front of this wooden chest is decorated with tiny pieces of glittering mother-of-pearl arranged in floral motifs with a central floral spray encircled by a wreath of flowers and leaves. This type of chest was a decorative, but utilitarian object used that would have been found in the reception room of Syrian homes in the 1800s, where rooms of the home served multiple purposes, such as receiving visitors, dining, and sleeping. The chest may have been used to stow away bedding and other textiles during the day.

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