Painting
ca. 1760 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Paintings of composite animals occur in several parts of India. The convention sometimes referes to the Hindu god Shiva in his role as Pashupati or 'Lord of the animals'. The bull in this painting is a reference to nandi ('Joyful'), Shiva's bull vehicle.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, winged Shaivite figure riding composite bull, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Murshidabad, ca. 1760 |
| Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, a Shaivite figure with angel's wings and pale white skin, with a cobra entwined on either arm, riding a composite bull, made up of hares, tigers, deer, camel, tigers, nilgai, goat, crocodile, parrots and fishes and including two child ascetics and one female head. He holds a gold ascetic's crook, he is preceded by a white demon with horns, holding a mace in his left hand and a cobra in his right, a second cobra is entwined around his left arm. |
| Content description | A Shaivite figure with angel's wings and pale white skin, with a cobra entwined on either arm, riding a composite bull, made up of hares, tigers, deer, camel, tigers, nilgai, goat, crocodile, parrots and fishes and including two child ascetics and one female head. He holds a gold ascetic's crook, he is preceded by a white demon with horns, holding a mace in his left hand and a cobra in his right, a second cobra is entwined around his left arm. |
| Style | |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Paintings of composite animals occur in several parts of India. The convention sometimes referes to the Hindu god Shiva in his role as Pashupati or 'Lord of the animals'. The bull in this painting is a reference to nandi ('Joyful'), Shiva's bull vehicle. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.6-1963 |
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| Record created | May 14, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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