Incense burner,

18th century

Bidri, named for the city of Bidar, was a metalwork technique specific to South Asia’s Deccan region, probably developed during the Bahmani Sultanate (1347–1518). To make an object such as this incense burner, an artist first cast the form in zinc alloy, a soft metal into which the floral and geometric surface designs were chiseled and then inlaid with silver—and sometimes brass or gold. Finally, the entire object was covered with a copper oxide paste, which would turn the background, but not the inlay, a deep black color. The velvety background allows the designs to shine and sparkle in candle- and moonlight. Bidri ware most likely evolved from inlaid metalwork techniques refined in cities such as Herat (in present-day Afghanistan) and Mosul (in present-day Iraq) during the twelfth century. The technique migrated and evolved just as people migrated and visual traditions evolved through cross-cultural interactions.

Deborah Hutton, Professor, Department of Art & Art History, The College of New Jersey