A rare Dutch-colonial silver 'Kwab' bowl and cover
Indonesia, Batavia, 4th quarter 17th century, apparently unmarked
H. 18.5 x W. 21 cm
Weight 587 grams
The present silver covered bowl is an excellent example of the ‘Kwab’ or auricular style silver objects made in Batavia, former Dutch East-Indies, in the late 17th century. This style consists of lavish organic forms together with fantastic sea creatures, masks and grotesques (for an overview of Kwab-style see: Reinier Baarsen, Kwab, ornament als kunst in de eeuw van Rembrandt, Rijksmuseum 2018). Although a similar style already arose in Renaissance Italy, the auricular style flourished in the early 17th century in the work of the Utrecht silversmiths Paulus van Vianen (c. 1570-1613) and his brother Adam van Vianen (1568-1627). The present bowl and cover are decorated with Kwab stylized elephant heads and trunks, bordering empty fields. In Batavia inventories, these bowls are described as ‘Een silvere watercom met sijne piering’, a silver water bowl with its dish. Very few complete sets of bowls together with their dishes have survived. One such a set marked M.G. and with town mark of Batavia is in the collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (see: Asia in Amsterdam, p. 104-105).
Exhibited: “Zilver uit Batavia,” April 21st - November 4th, 2012, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag.
H. 18.5 x W. 21 cm
Weight 587 grams
The present silver covered bowl is an excellent example of the ‘Kwab’ or auricular style silver objects made in Batavia, former Dutch East-Indies, in the late 17th century. This style consists of lavish organic forms together with fantastic sea creatures, masks and grotesques (for an overview of Kwab-style see: Reinier Baarsen, Kwab, ornament als kunst in de eeuw van Rembrandt, Rijksmuseum 2018). Although a similar style already arose in Renaissance Italy, the auricular style flourished in the early 17th century in the work of the Utrecht silversmiths Paulus van Vianen (c. 1570-1613) and his brother Adam van Vianen (1568-1627). The present bowl and cover are decorated with Kwab stylized elephant heads and trunks, bordering empty fields. In Batavia inventories, these bowls are described as ‘Een silvere watercom met sijne piering’, a silver water bowl with its dish. Very few complete sets of bowls together with their dishes have survived. One such a set marked M.G. and with town mark of Batavia is in the collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (see: Asia in Amsterdam, p. 104-105).
Exhibited: “Zilver uit Batavia,” April 21st - November 4th, 2012, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag.
Related objects
A Balinese kris with gold and silver mounts decorated with ruby cabochons
_Bali, 18th century, the scabbard late 19th century_ _L. 60 cm_ Provenance: Private collection, Germany
A rare ancient Hindu-Javanese gold fan or fly-whisk finial
Indonesia, Central Java, Central Javanese period, Mataram Kingdom, circa 9th-10th century
A colonial tortoiseshell veneered casket with silver mounts
_Probably Portuguese colonial (Goa), or Spanish colonial (Manilla), 17th century_ _H. 18.5 x L. 25.2 x D. 12.1 cm_