Nut Cutter with Praying Hands

This betel nut cutter is in the form of a standing figure with its head thrown back and hands in prayer. When the handles in the form of legs are pulled apart the head and hands are drawn together as if the figure is kissing the hands. Crosshatching and circular incised and chased details enhance the rectangular central portion of the cutter. Betel is a stimulant that humans have used for thousands of years. Betel refers to a leaf that is chewed together with areca nut and often also in combination with tobacco and slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) to increase absorption of the stimulants into the bloodstream. Cutters are used to cut the areca nut. To create betel, thin slices of the nut of the areca palm are mixed with spices and lime paste and wrapped in a leaf of the betel tree to create a small package or “quid”. In South and Southeast Asian betel nut cutters are among the functional metalwork objects craftspeople have created through the ages. While the function and form of the blade tends to be similar across cultures, there are artistic elements that tie them to specific regions and systems of belief. This example captures the bold aesthetic of 19th century South Indian craftsmanship.

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Sale, Wooley & Wallis, Wiltshire, United Kingdom, December 15 2021, lot 941; purchased by Runjeet Singh, United Kingdom, 2021; purchased by Walters Art Museum, 2023.