Kashmiri Gilt Papier-Mâché Bowl with Floral Decoration

A Kashmiri papier-mâché bowl of attractive scale, richly decorated throughout with an extraordinarily dense field of flowering vines and stylised blossoms upon a warm gilded ground. The interior and exterior are intricately painted with delicate floral ornament in crimson, soft blue, ivory and black, creating a jewel-like surface alive with movement and detail. Kashmir, circa 1900. Diameter: 35 cm Height: 16.5 cm Base Diameter 12cm The bowl demonstrates the remarkable refinement of the Kashmiri papier-mâché tradition, a highly skilled decorative art developed under Persian influence and celebrated for its painstaking hand-painted surfaces and luminous lacquer finishes. The fine black scrolling borders and densely layered floral decoration recall the great decorative arts of Mughal India, translated into an object of both utility and sculptural presence. Particularly striking is the richness of the aged surface, with gentle wear and craquelure acquired over time adding depth and authenticity to the gilded decoration.