Indo-Portuguese devotional shrine, 18th century.

Indo-Portuguese devotional shrine, 18th century.
Carved cedar wood.
On a later wooden base.
Shows wear.
Measurements: 67 x 30 x 30 cm.

Indo-Portuguese devotional shrine made entirely of cedar wood. It denotes a remarkable craftsmanship in the finishes. It has the form of a gazebo supported by columns that emulate palm tree trunks. It is erected on a shaft of robust body chiseled with foliated fretwork at different levels of its turned structure. In the center of the temple has been represented a saint in round bulk and crowns the dome a representation of San Miguel defeating the dragon. It also has six arms, which, like a candelabra, are topped with lampshades.

Indo-Portuguese art flourished in Goa and other areas under Portuguese rule in India between the 16th and 18th centuries. Local workshops adopted European techniques introduced by Jesuit missionaries, but incorporated local traditions and styles. Devotional temples like this one were commissioned by Christian communities or nobles and represent the fusion of two worlds.