Gem and Gold-Inset White Jade Bottle with Floral Bud and Flowering Vine Motifs
Date18th century
PeriodMughal
MediumJade, gold, gemstones
DimensionsOverall: 4 x 2 1/16 x 1 1/2 in. (10.2 x 5.2 x 3.8cm)
ClassificationsHardstones
Credit LineCourtesy of the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art
Object number41.55a-b
DescriptionThe bottle is carved from white nephrite and inlaid with colorful gemstones in the shape of flowering plants. It is topped with a gem-encrusted finial. Delicate gold wire forms leafy stems and vines. The gems are set using the kundan technique, in which strips of pure gold are applied around the stones to create the mount.Depictions of naturalistic plants flourished in the visual culture of the Mughal period (1526–1827) and continued long after the empire collapsed in the 19th century. During the reign of Shah Jahan (r. 1628–58), motifs of flowering plants were often set against a plain background and spaced at regular intervals. This design appearS throughout Mughal visual culture – from luxurious objects like this jade bottle to the walls of the Taj Mahal.
On View
On viewCollections
17th century
17th century
17th century
17th century
16th - 17th century
17th century
