Royal Chauri (fly whisk)

Former TitleMaharaja's Chauri (fly whisk)

CultureIndian

Date1911

MediumMolded and carved silver sheet, wrapped around a wood core, with silk velvet, brocaded silk, and horse or ox tail

DimensionsOverall: 49 3/16 × 2 3/4 inches (125 × 7 cm)

Credit LinePurchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust through the George H. and Elizabeth O. Davis Fund

Object number2013.10.1.4

InscribedIn Devanagari script: “Raj Dungarpur San 1911

On View

Not on view

Collections

South and Southeast Asian Art

Terms

DescriptionThe set includes six objects: The thrones are a pair, created for the king of Dungarpur, India. The thrones are large, Chippendale-style chairs, accompanied by matching foot rests, a chhatri and a chauri. The thrones are made of molded and carved silver, wrapped around a wooden frame. The thrones are covered with imagery, including molded and carved depictions of Hindu deities, animals, and floral designs. Large, lavishly designed peacocks protrude from the seat backs in moulded relief, with its tail spectacularly fanned and its wings wide open. Above these are a depiction of Hanuman, the Monkey God, one of the most famous and heroic Hindu deities, holding his mace in one hand, and a bunch of grapes in the other hand. Above Hanuman is a small deer or gazelle. The same relief of Hanuman decorates the other side of the seat back. Also notable are the striped lions that form the throne legs and support the arm rests of the thrones. These lions are detailed with open mouths and separate tongues. The seats and backs of the thrones and tops of the foot rests are upholstered with red velvet that exhibits areas of wear. The chhatri, or umbrella, is also modern, late 19th to early 20th century, and consists of pale blue silk with silver embroidery and silver thread, suspended on a metal umbrella frame. The chauri has a silver handle that appears stylistically to date to the late 19th century. The creamy white, now yellowing hair mounted on the handle comes from a horse or ox tail, traditional materials used to create fly whisks in ancient India. Originally thought to have been made for the use of the king and queen (Maharawal and Maharani), recent research suggests that if they were used together in court, they would have been used by the two highest ranking male rulers in a durbar setting, perhaps the maharawal seated with the crown prince, or even with a colonial ruler, like the Vicerory.Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Silver Splendor: Conserving the Royal Thrones of Dungarpur, India, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri, May 2, 2022–July 16, 2023, no cat.

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