-Krishna’s cowgirl (gopi) Radha was Ayanaghosha’s wife, and her devotion to him transcended marital ties. Whenever Radha was together with Krishna and her husband appeared, Krishna instantly transformed himself into Kali and Radha into her devotee. Radha, a model devotee, symbolizes the human soul and its longing for god. Her willingness to break the rules of duty (dharma) exemplifies her devotion.
Black-skinned, four-armed, her tongue out, and blood dripping from her mouth, Kali has a third eye—representative of enlightened or divine knowledge—on her forehead. Simultaneously benevolent and dangerous, she holds a sword and a demon’s severed head in two hands while the other two hands are in gestures of protection and blessing. This image would have been sold as a pilgrim souvenir to both locals and the colonial British around the Kalighat temple and is a replica of the image worshipped inside the temple (see below). The frightening image of Kali especially fit into the colonial imagination and into Victorian popular culture and would have been an iconic souvenir/artifact to be shown to intrigued and horrified friends at home in England.
A ten-armed Durga stands triumphant as she grabs the hair of the buffalo demon’s true form, one foot on his neck, about to plunge the spear into his heart. Interestingly, the demon wears European buckled shoes; this painting was made in the British enclave then known as Calcutta. Made by artists who sold their works in a goddess temple bazaar, this painting was made with rapid brush strokes and thin paint layers on inexpensive paper. Exuberant in their devotional vitality and visceral color sensibilities, Kalighat paintings achieved acclaim among modern artists of the 20th century.
Believed to be a manifestation of the Great Goddess, the goddess Durga is portrayed here killing Mahisha, a demon in buffalo form. As described in the Devi Mahatmya (Glorification of the Great Goddess), Mahisha had defeated the gods in heaven. At their request Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma created Durga to defeat him. Durga is depicted here on her vehicle (vahana), the lion, with a sword in her right hand and left foot pressed upon Mahisha throat, her face ruddy with intoxication and anticipation, poised to kill him.
-Women Worshipping a Shiva Linga: Devagandhari Ragini of Hindol, from a Chamba Ragamala, c. 1700. Northern India, Himachal Pradesh, Pahari Kingdom of Chamba. Gum tempera and gold on paper; miniature: 21 x 18.4 cm (8 1/4 x 7 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 2018.87
Removed from any temple setting, the focus of the scene is on the intensity of the women’s devotions to the Hindu god Shiva in his abstract form of a linga. The figure on the right tosses flower petals on the linga and offers incense in a handheld censer. Her taller companion wearing a yellow blouse holds two lotus flowers in her hands cupped in devotion as she bows reverently.
This painting depicts the Hindu deity Krishna as a youth among the villagers of the cowherding community where he grew up. Drawn to him, the women hurry to hold a coverlet over him in protection from the rain, not realizing that he is able to lift a mountain to shield them all. Birds and monkeys populate the trees, and a Hindu temple and palace buildings stand in the background. This vibrant work was probably made for an aristocratic Hindu ruler of territories in eastern India during the period when Mughal artists dispersed from the imperial center after the invasion of Delhi in 1739.
God Shiva in His Ferocious Aspect as Mahakala Dancing, c. 1700–1710. India
Hanuman, c. 1880. Eastern India, Bengal, Kolkata, Kalighat.
Illustration to the Mahabharata
Manasa, The Snake Goddess
Matsya, Fish Avatara of Vishnu, c. 1890.
No comments:
Post a Comment