Oil Lamp

18th - 19th century Origin: Kashmir Material: Copper Provenance: Europe Oil lamps are among the oldest traditional forms of Kashmiri lighting vessels. Lamps of this type occupied an important place in everyday Kashmiri life, serving both practical and ceremonial functions. What distinguishes this lamp is not merely its craftsmanship but its sculptural silhouette composed of an elongated spout, rounded reservoir and serpent handle. The serpent becomes an integral part of the lamp's visual identity, linking the object to a broader vocabulary of sacred and protective imagery found across the Kashmiri art forms. Throughout South Asian artistic traditions, the serpent has long been associated with protection, renewal and sacred power. Here it transforms an otherwise utilitarian object into one carrying symbolic as well as functional significance. Private collection: Trām and Beyond

Not for Sale