A large 19th century paper-mâché. bowl hand-painted with black and red flower patterns from India. The bowl features a black background with a flower frieze on the top and bottom. The belly showcases a frieze of large medallions with flowers and foliage. The different sections are separated by strips of red. The cacophony of elements on this bowl evoke something of the “horror of emptiness” or the Latin “fear of empty space”.

This 19th century large Indian hand-painted black and red papier-mâché flower bowl would be an unusual item in most homes, perhaps in a living room where it could showcase alabaster fruit or other accessories.