Late 19th century
191 x 188 cms
Panels 60 x 37 cms
Note: E.B. Havell in Reports on the Arts and Industries of Certain Districts of Madras Presidency, 1909, wrote that this art of gessoed and painted woodwork was practised in many places in the Kurnool district and the finest work was produced in Nandyal and Banganpalle. See Amin Jaffer Furniture from British India and Ceylon.
TN Mukharji in Art Manufactures of India explains that the work was of two kinds, plain and embossed. The embossed variety which we have is called “Lajawardi”. Shells or slags from the forge are finely ground with some glutinous substance, and layer is put on until the requisite height is attained. The whole is then covered with gold leaf, the designs are picked out in paint, and then it is varnished. This technique is now lost.
