Procession with festival car
Painting
ca. 1800 (made), ca. 1800 (made)
ca. 1800 (made), ca. 1800 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This painting shows a view of a temple car being drawn in procession outside the Vaisnavite temple of Ranganata at Srirangam, near Tiruchirapalli (Trichinoply). It was one of the most auspicious Vaisanava temples of south India.
The event is part of the celebration of the annual festival. Devotees install portable images of the presiding deity - Vishnu, and his consorts the goddesses Sri Devi and Bhu Devi - in a great chariot or temple car (‘ratha’) and draw them around the temple streets.
Here the gilt-bronze icons are clearly visible in the chariot, flanked by the priests who ride in the temple car and fan the gods with fly-whisk fans to keep them cool. The procession is lead by a standard bearer atop a richly caparisoned elephant. The standard bears the insignia of Garuda, Vishnu's celestial mount. In the background are the walls and gateways (‘gopura’) of the temple which normally houses these portable icons.
This painting is typical of those commissioned by members of the English East India Company and other European expatriates living in India in the early 19th century. Local artists responded to the demand, developing a naturalistic, descriptive style in keeping with the taste of their clients. Such paintings provide the best observed record of devotional and other aspects of Indian life in the period immediately preceding the advent of photography.
This painting, naturalistically observed, is typical of the paintings commissioned by members of the English East India Company and other European expatriates living in India in the early 19th century. Local artists responded to this demand, developing a functional, descriptive style in keeping with the taste of their clients. Such paintings provide the best observed record of devotional and other aspects of Indian life in the period immediately preceding the advent of photography.
The event is part of the celebration of the annual festival. Devotees install portable images of the presiding deity - Vishnu, and his consorts the goddesses Sri Devi and Bhu Devi - in a great chariot or temple car (‘ratha’) and draw them around the temple streets.
Here the gilt-bronze icons are clearly visible in the chariot, flanked by the priests who ride in the temple car and fan the gods with fly-whisk fans to keep them cool. The procession is lead by a standard bearer atop a richly caparisoned elephant. The standard bears the insignia of Garuda, Vishnu's celestial mount. In the background are the walls and gateways (‘gopura’) of the temple which normally houses these portable icons.
This painting is typical of those commissioned by members of the English East India Company and other European expatriates living in India in the early 19th century. Local artists responded to the demand, developing a naturalistic, descriptive style in keeping with the taste of their clients. Such paintings provide the best observed record of devotional and other aspects of Indian life in the period immediately preceding the advent of photography.
This painting, naturalistically observed, is typical of the paintings commissioned by members of the English East India Company and other European expatriates living in India in the early 19th century. Local artists responded to this demand, developing a functional, descriptive style in keeping with the taste of their clients. Such paintings provide the best observed record of devotional and other aspects of Indian life in the period immediately preceding the advent of photography.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Procession with festival car (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Gouache on paper |
Brief description | Painting; gouache, Procession with festival car, Tanjore, ca. 1800 |
Physical description | Procession with festival car. Pennant possibly depicting Garuda carried by a pennant-bearer on an elephant. In the background is the Vaishnavite Temple of Ranganata at Shrirangam. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Marks and inscriptions | 'Stree Rangum God setout upon Chariate.' (Inscribed on fly-leaves with titles) |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This painting shows a view of a temple car being drawn in procession outside the Vaisnavite temple of Ranganata at Srirangam, near Tiruchirapalli (Trichinoply). It was one of the most auspicious Vaisanava temples of south India. The event is part of the celebration of the annual festival. Devotees install portable images of the presiding deity - Vishnu, and his consorts the goddesses Sri Devi and Bhu Devi - in a great chariot or temple car (‘ratha’) and draw them around the temple streets. Here the gilt-bronze icons are clearly visible in the chariot, flanked by the priests who ride in the temple car and fan the gods with fly-whisk fans to keep them cool. The procession is lead by a standard bearer atop a richly caparisoned elephant. The standard bears the insignia of Garuda, Vishnu's celestial mount. In the background are the walls and gateways (‘gopura’) of the temple which normally houses these portable icons. This painting is typical of those commissioned by members of the English East India Company and other European expatriates living in India in the early 19th century. Local artists responded to the demand, developing a naturalistic, descriptive style in keeping with the taste of their clients. Such paintings provide the best observed record of devotional and other aspects of Indian life in the period immediately preceding the advent of photography. This painting, naturalistically observed, is typical of the paintings commissioned by members of the English East India Company and other European expatriates living in India in the early 19th century. Local artists responded to this demand, developing a functional, descriptive style in keeping with the taste of their clients. Such paintings provide the best observed record of devotional and other aspects of Indian life in the period immediately preceding the advent of photography. |
Bibliographic references |
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Other number | 8806 - Previous number |
Collection | |
Accession number | AL.8806 |
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Record created | October 2, 2002 |
Record URL |
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