Vintage Shesh Naga Copper Repoussé Panel | Seven-Headed Naga | Framed Masterpiece

This striking vintage Shesh Naga panel features a finely worked seven-headed serpent rendered in repoussé copper, mounted against rich black and gold brocade and presented in a gold-toned frame. Nearly a century old, the panel combines traditional metalworking with powerful Hindu serpent iconography, making it a distinctive example of Indian devotional metal art.

The composition centres on a majestic seven-hooded Naga rising from a coiled base. Each serpent head is individually detailed, creating a strong sense of movement while retaining the balanced, symmetrical character associated with traditional Naga representations. At the centre of the panel, a repoussé Yaali adds another layer of traditional South Indian mythological imagery to the composition.

Repoussé is an ancient metalworking technique in which the design is raised and shaped by working the metal from the reverse. The technique gives the copper surface considerable relief and sculptural depth, allowing the raised forms to catch and reflect light. The finely worked details across the Naga and Yaali demonstrate the skill involved in producing the panel.

Nagas hold an important place in Indian religious and cultural traditions and are associated with protection, fertility, water, transformation and the forces of nature. Shesha or Shesh Naga, the cosmic serpent in Hindu tradition, is particularly associated with Vishnu and is represented as an immense serpent supporting and sheltering the deity. The seven-hooded form has a long presence in Indian religious art and iconography.

The panel retains a natural, age-developed patina that reflects its long history. Mounted against black and gold brocade and framed in gold, it has been presented as part of The Blue Trunk's Framed Masterpiece collection, where the original metalwork is preserved as a sculptural work of art.

Details

• Object: Shesh Naga Repoussé Panel
• Subject: Seven-Headed Naga / Shesh Naga
• Additional Motif: Yaali
• Material: Copper
• Technique: Repoussé
• Origin: India
• Period: Early to Mid-20th Century
• Age: Approximately 100 years
• Tradition: Indian devotional and traditional metalwork
• Mounting: Black and gold brocade
• Frame: Gold-toned frame
• Collection: The Blue Trunk – Framed Masterpieces
• Artifact Dimensions: H 12 × L 9.5 × D 1.5 in
• Frame Dimensions: H 16 × L 15 in
• Condition: Vintage with natural patina and age-related characteristics
• Authenticity: Comes with an authenticity certificate from The Blue Trunk.