Diamond-Inset Enamelled Gold Elephant and Spear-Carrying Mahout Figurine
Date19th - 20th century
PeriodBritish India/Princely States
MediumEnameled gold, diamonds
DimensionsOverall: 1 3/4 x 1 3/16 x 1 7/8 in. (4.4 x 3 x 4.8cm)
ClassificationsMetalwork
Credit LineCourtesy of the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art
Object number44.30.2a-c
DescriptionIn 19th-century India, imaginative scenes featuring animals were popular subjects of lavish miniatures. This figurine of an elephant and its handler, or mahout, is brightly enameled and inlaid with diamonds. With its trunk raised, the elephant is posed in a confident march on an enameled base embellished with floral decoration. The mahout on its back carries a spear and bridle. The role of the mahout, to handle, train, and care for elephants, was a skilled vocation that was passed down through families, from father to son.On View
On viewCollections
19th - 20th century
19th century
