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1 of 253523 objects
Style of Islamic
Bench c.1880-1900
Hardwood, mother of pearl, silk | 69.0 x 121.0 x 44.5 cm (whole object) | RCIN 41609
Queen's Lift Corridor, Osborne House
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Dark hardwood bench with outward curving arms and an elaborate apron carved in shallow relief with lattice designs and turned spindle panels. Inlaid with mother-of-pearl stars and circles; on bun feet; seat upholsterd in faded patterned pink/mauve silk. En suite with a mirror, RCIN 41610.
The panels on the aprons and arms are carved in the style of North African and Middle Eastern mashrabiya lattice windows. These projecting window boxes helped regulate light and airflow in hot climates, as well as affording privacy. Intricate lattice designs in the Islamic or 'Moorish' style drew the attention of European collectors and in the last decades of the nineteenth century, panels were acquired for western interiors or incorporated into other items of furniture such as folding screens and chairs. Other pieces were made to order for fashionable retailers such as Liberty & Co, who sold them in London.
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Creator(s)
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Medium and techniques
Hardwood, mother of pearl, silk
Measurements
69.0 x 121.0 x 44.5 cm (whole object)
