Distinguished by its intricate workmanship, this extraordinary armlet (vanki) is made of repoussé and chased gold, opalescent glass beads, and an inset gray topaz. Attributed to Chennai, circa 1850–1900, it epitomizes a traditional type of ornament worn by southern Indian Hindu women on their upper arms. The armlet features delicate openwork panels of micro-repoussé and chased gold filigree images of human, animal, and mythological figures. They are set in horizontal registers defined by arches with pearl borders for the primary figural row and, for the subsidiary figures, amidst a lace-like background of scrolling vines. Plain sheet gold is used as the support backing for the figural matrix.
The armlet’s design program consists of various inhabitants drawn primarily from India’s rich corpus of mythology. The central image on the front depicts the Hindu god Krishna dancing triumphantly on Kaliya, a serpent king who had terrorized the countryside before being vanquished by Krishna and converted to his worship. Krishna and Kaliya are flanked by female attendants waving honorific fly whisks symbolic of Krishna’s divine status. Additional figures include, at the top of the armlet, a "face of glory" (kirtimukha) paired with peacocks and, along its sides, winged griffins, elephants, tigers, and rearing lions.
The traditional jewelry of southern India differs in material, technique, form, and cultural meaning from the better-known northern Indian jewelry of the Mughal era. Gold and silver ornaments abound in both traditions in diverse manifestations. Gemstones are often incorporated in southern Indian jewelry for their perceived astrological effects and to embody Hindu divinities and sacred animals. In Mughal works, gemstones are used primarily for decorative purposes and to proclaim the status of the wearer. The backs of southern Indian jewelry pieces are generally not embellished with enameled designs, as is frequently the case with Mughal and northern Indian jewelry.
