Of the Indo-Portuguese Christian art in possession with the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), there were as few as five pieces on display. When asked to look at the larger collection, curators Divya Pawathinal, Shannan Castelino and Siddharth Waingankar discovered what could only be called a treasure trove. The trio was able to assemble sculptures that were used in churches and homes for worship.

Made from wood and ivory, and ranging from a few inches to three feet in height, these displays date between the 16th and 18th centuries and have been secured from former Portuguese colonies — Goa, Daman and Diu as well as Mumbai and will now be part of a new exhibition titled Icons of Faith. "When Christianity was spreading during the Portuguese era, old worship images were replaced with new ones. Most of them would come from Europe. But, when the demand outweighed supply, local artists began creating their own," says Pawathinal. "These were, though inspired by original European works, more decorative than their Western counterparts," she adds.