Dagger with Tiger-Head Pommel
18th/19th century
Medium
Steel blade; hilt of quartz (?) underlaid with red resin and inset in the kundan technique, with gold leaf and polychrome enamel (minakari)
Dimensions
29.9 × 6.4 × 2.9 cm (11 3/4 × 2 1/2 × 1 1/8 in.)
Classification
steel
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
153531
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This dagger has a plain, double-edged steel blade and an exquisitely decorated hilt. The cross guard is inlaid with quartz gemstones and displays the heads of two blue, tusked elephants. A cerise-colored enameled handle separates the cross guard from the golden tiger’s head pommel, which is adorned with additional jewels arranged in floral and foliate patterns. The process for creating this haft, known as kundan, entails using soft gold for setting and polychrome enameling. Richly embellished da...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...