This square hinged box is decorated with a hand-painted Mughal-style Indian miniature scene. The lid shows a nobleman relaxing on a palace terrace with a group of women attendants. They are dressed in coral, saffron, and rose, with some playing instruments and others holding vessels. The terrace has a checkerboard floor and carved jali panels, and beyond it is a garden with a lotus pond and a distant hill. The scene is painted in fine detail on pale panels, with warm ochre and gilt tones throughout, in the manner of Mughal and Rajput court painting.
The sides carry a continuous floral scroll in gold and black, with a band of red paisley-style foliage on the lid rim and the stepped base. The edges are finished in gilt. Inside, a black velvet-lined X-shaped divider makes four triangular compartments, a good fit for jewelry, trinkets, cards, or collectibles. The lid has two brass hinges.
It makes a striking decorative piece for a desk, console, or coffee table, and a thoughtful gift for lovers of Indian miniature art.
Hand-painted Mughal miniature musicians court scene on lid
