Rosewater sprinkler

Object Details

• School/Tradition

  Mughal school

• Description

  Encased in a finely worked open-work screen (jali). Peahen and peacock applied sculpture.

• Label

  The scent of the rose, a beloved cultivar of the Mughals, was incorporated into every court encounter through the ritual misting of guests with rosewater. This ingeniously engineered bottle emphasizes the association between the rose's form and its fragrance. When inverted to sprinkle perfume, the petals on the bottle's mouth open outwards like a budding rose. Tame peacocks and peahens, which roamed Mughal gardens, appear here on either side of the flower-adorned vessel, arching gracefully back to preen their feathers. The subtle decorative flourish that lengthens the peahen's silhouette, to echo her mate's, exemplifies the balance of symmetry and naturalism intrinsic to the Mughal garden aesthetic.

• Provenance

  ?-?

  Unknown individual, English, method of acquisition unknown [1]

  ?-?

  Unknown individual’s widow, probably by inheritance in England [2]

  ?-at least by October 1989

  Ryder Street Fine Art, London, England, acquired from the Unknown individual’s widow in England [3]

  At least by October 1989-1990

  John Lawrence Fine Arts, Inc., London, England, purchased from Ryder Street Fine Art in London, England [4]

  From 1990

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from John Lawrence Fine Arts, Inc. [5]

  Notes:

  [1] See letter from M. Hudson, Secretary at Ryder Street Fine Art, to John R. Alderman, John Lawrence Fine Arts, dated November 5, 1989, copy in object file. M. Hudson stated, “The Moghul silver rose water sprinkler which you acquired from us was acquired several years ago from the widow of an elderly English collector. We understand that it had been in his possession for many years.”

  The letter is typed on “Ryder Street Fine Art” letterhead, which includes two addresses: “10 Ryder Street, London, SW1Y 6PY, 01-839 7551” in the letterhead and “Registered at 5 St. James’s Chambers, London SW1Y 6QA Vat No. 461 5617 48” in the footer.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] See note 1.

  Ryder Street Fine Art was a dealer in London, England in the late 1980s.

  [4] See memo from the Curator of Near Eastern Art

  to the Registrar , titled “Possible Acquisition,” dated October 26, 1989, copy in object file. When John Lawrence Fine Arts, Inc., acquired the object from Ryder Street Fine Art is unknown. It can be determined that the object was in the custody of John Lawrence Fine Arts, Inc., at least by October 1989 since John R. Alderman offered this object to the Freer Gallery of Art in October 1989. Alderman’s name varies in the correspondences between him and the Freer Gallery of Art, these variations include John R. Alderman, Robert Alderman, and Bob Alderman.

  See also incoming receipt, dated December 4, 1989, copy in object file. The object was transferred from John Lawrence Fine Arts, Inc., to the Freer Gallery of Art for acquisition consideration on November 16, 1989.

  See also invoice from John Lawrence Fine Arts, Inc., to the Freer Gallery of Art, dated November 6, 1989, copy in object file. Object is described as, “A Silver Rose Water Sprinkler (Gulabpash). [/] Mughal, North India, c. 1700. [/] 18 cm high.”

  John Lawrence Fine Arts, Inc., was a dealer in London, England specialized in dealing in Indian and Islamic art. The company was founded by Mark Zebrowski (1945-1999) and John Robert Alderman, who were American dealers and collectors. John Lawrence Fine Arts was active in the mid-1980s and 1990s and successfully placed works in the collection of the British Museum; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; San Diego Museum of Art.

  [5] See Freer Gallery of Art, “Acquisition Consideration Form,” approved on February 14, 1990, copy in object file.

  Research updated May 28, 2024

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Body Image (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  East of Eden: Gardens in Asian Art (February 24 to May 13, 2007)

  Arts of the Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas (October 16, 2004 to January 3, 2016)

  South and South East Asian Art (May 9, 1993 to February 7, 2000)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Ryder Street Fine Art

  John Lawrence Fine Arts, Inc. (active mid-1980s-1990s)

• Origin

  India

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• On View

  Freer Gallery 01: Body Image: Arts of the Indian Subcontinent

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1800s, 1770s

• Name

  Ryder Street Fine Art, John Lawrence Fine Arts, Inc.

• Place

  India

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Gold, Silver, Peacock, Art, Mughal dynasty (1526 - 1858), Metal-work

• Culture

  Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes