Living With Wood Gallery

Wood was essential in the construction and ornamentation of buildings as seen in its wall decoration, ceiling and door carvings.

Some of the most outstanding features of a mosque are derived from wood such as the minbar in the Malay world, which is often profusely decorated with perforated carvings of floral motif. 

While Ottoman craftsmen were masters of inlay in mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell; in India, it was more likely to be ivory that provided the finishing touch. Intricate detail, geometrical forms, relief decoration and luxury embellishments such as ivory, tortoiseshell and mother of pearl were often incorporated to the carved wood.

While lacquerware found its highest expression manifested in miniature paintings, usually applied to book covers, mirror cases and, of course, boxes especially in Persia.

The versatility of wood led to many types of usage and it is not only used for large objects but also for the smaller objects such as Quran boxes, trunks, rehal, printing blocks and even combs.