Two Fine Indo-Portuguese Ivory Mortars and Pestles

Period: 1600-1700

Origin: Indo-Portuguese

Medium: Ivory

Literature: A desire to dominate the maritime trade in spices brought the Portuguese to the Indian Ocean. During the 16th century a series of aggressive Portuguese commanders created the ‘Estado da India’ composed of fortresses, trading posts and strategic coastal cities that ultimately reached from Mozambique to Macao. They established their state headquarters in Goa which remained in Portuguese hands until 1961. However, they never achieved a monopoly over the spice trade and within decades the Venetians had revived their land based trade, but the Portuguese did enter and dominate the field of luxury goods. The works of art that survive from the period tell of the extraordinary skills of the artists and craftsmen working in India and Sri Lanka. The Portuguese directed and instructed the manufacture of these exotic treasures exporting many back to Europe. The rapid development of their ‘State of India’ was an astonishing accomplishment, especially in view of Portugal's relatively small size and great distance from Asia.

Exhibition: Published ‘Portuguese Expansion Overseas and the Art of Ivory’ Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon June 25th 1991 pg. 200-201