STRUCTURAL FEATURES: Consisting of a slightly angled back, this side chair, probably made out of dark ebony, is an example of skilled carpentry and craftsmanship iconic to the style of Indo-Dutch period furniture. While the structure of the chair is simple and frill-free, its highlight lies in the intricate artistry and workmanship.

STYLISTIC FEATURES: Elaborately carved with ornate yet elegant motifs of flowers, birds, deities and scrolling stylised foliage along the backrest and the periphery of the seat, the type of carving is largely suggestive of the decorative Batavian style from Java, Indonesia — the administrative seat of the Dutch in the East. The scalloped toprail features two figurines of deities on either end. The image of a standing deity also appears in the centre of the elaborately carved backrest of the chair. The frieze or the apron abutting the edges of the seat comprises a foliate carving. Ornate scrollwork with flower and rosette designs adorns the S-shaped front legs of the chair, which terminate with an equally dextrous carving of a reptile’s head, followed by a slightly flattened pad foot. The rear legs are relatively restrained in terms of the carving.

Courtesy: The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai