Carved Panel with Mythical Birds

This late 16th-century wooden panel from India's Deccan region or Portuguese Goa features mythical birds in carved relief. The panel represents the unique artistic fusion that occurred when Portuguese colonizers established themselves in Goa to dominate the spice trade and promote Christianity. While European architects designed the churches, Indian masons, carvers, and painters created the decorative elements, resulting in carvings that look more Indian or Mughal than European.

Mythical bird imagery appears across Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic Indian traditions, and local craftsmen brought these motifs into whatever architectural commissions they received. The panel measures about 15 by 24 inches and shows the technical skill of Deccan wood carvers working in the Indo-Portuguese tradition. It's at the Art Institute of Chicago.