Ivory figure probably representing the maha mudaliyar, head of the Porta in Sri Lanka, The maha mudaliyar formed the link between the Dutch administration and the local population and played an important role in contacts with the court of Kandy, including as an interpreter. It may be a portrait of Nicolas Dias Abayasinha Amarasekera. He was employed by Governor De Graaff from March 8, 1785 until his death in 1794. The man is wearing a tuppottiya (long cloth wrapped several times around the waist and legs) and over it a long European coat with the entire length the front a row of buttons. Over his jacket he wears a sash decorated with floral pattern from right to left. He wears his hair tightly backwards in a kind of bun on the back of his head. There are remnants of polychromia, especially on the back of the head with black hair, red in the neck and gilding on tuppottiya. The man has wrapped a cloth around his right hand. The position of his left hand seems to indicate that he was holding something in here, Kandy, anonymous, c. 1750 - c. 1800, ivory, paint (coating), gilding (material), gilding, h 21.9 cm × w 6.3 cm × d 5 cm
Keywords:
Ivory figure, representing, maha mudaliyar, head, Porta, Sri Lanka, maha mudaliyar formed, link, Dutch administration, local population, played, important role, contacts, court, Kandy, interpreter, portrait, Nicolas Dias Abayasinha Amarasekera, employed, Governor De Graaff, March 8, 1785, death, 1794, man, wearing, tuppottiya, long cloth wrapped several times, waist, legs, long European coat, entire length, front, row, buttons, jacket, wears, sash decorated, floral pattern, right, left, hair tightly backwards, kind, bun, back, remnants, polychromia, black hair, red, neck, gilding, wrapped, cloth, right hand, position, left hand seems, indicate, holding something, c, 1750, 1800, ivory, paint, coating, material
Image ID:
The watermark in the image will not appear on the final download.