Hindoo Gods
Wallpaper
1880-1890 (made)
1880-1890 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Paper printed with patterns has been used to decorate walls since the 16th century. However, the many Europeans living in India in the 19th century found it impractical to introduce the fashion for wallpaper there as the climate was not suitable. The heat and humidity caused the paper to peel away from the wall after a short time, and it would also become infested with insects. It seems likely, therefore, that these wallpaper panels were produced to be used as temporary decorations, perhaps for religious festivals.
Subjects Depicted
This scene appears to have been copied from a 19th-century south Indian painting. It combines elements of European design (the chandeliers) with decorative features (the arch) characteristic of Indian art of the Mughal period (1526-1857). The figures depicted in this panel and others in the series are all characters from Hindu mythology. The god Vishnu (the Preserver) is seen reclining on the serpent Ananta, on the waters of Nara; Brahma (the Creator in the Hindu pantheon) appears in a lotus flower which rises from Vishnu's navel. Vishnu's sleep on the eternal waters symbolises the dormant periods between the ages of the universe. Brahma's reappearance signals his re-creation of the universe to begin a new age.
Paper printed with patterns has been used to decorate walls since the 16th century. However, the many Europeans living in India in the 19th century found it impractical to introduce the fashion for wallpaper there as the climate was not suitable. The heat and humidity caused the paper to peel away from the wall after a short time, and it would also become infested with insects. It seems likely, therefore, that these wallpaper panels were produced to be used as temporary decorations, perhaps for religious festivals.
Subjects Depicted
This scene appears to have been copied from a 19th-century south Indian painting. It combines elements of European design (the chandeliers) with decorative features (the arch) characteristic of Indian art of the Mughal period (1526-1857). The figures depicted in this panel and others in the series are all characters from Hindu mythology. The god Vishnu (the Preserver) is seen reclining on the serpent Ananta, on the waters of Nara; Brahma (the Creator in the Hindu pantheon) appears in a lotus flower which rises from Vishnu's navel. Vishnu's sleep on the eternal waters symbolises the dormant periods between the ages of the universe. Brahma's reappearance signals his re-creation of the universe to begin a new age.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Colour machine print, on paper |
| Brief description | Portion of paper from the series entitled 'Hindoo Gods'; Colour machine print, on paper; Produced by Allan, Cockshut & Co., London, for the Indian market; English; 1880-1890. |
| Physical description | Portion of paper from the series entitled 'Hindoo Gods'; Colour machine print, on paper. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | British Galleries:
This wallpaper panel was printed in Britain for the Indian market. It was probably a temporary decoration for festivals as it takes the form of a pictorial panel with an integral printed border, rather than a repeating pattern.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Given by the Wallpaper Manufacturers |
| Object history | Produced by Allan, Cockshut & Co., London, for the Indian market. |
| Production | Produced by Allan, Cockshut & Co. for the Indian market. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type Paper printed with patterns has been used to decorate walls since the 16th century. However, the many Europeans living in India in the 19th century found it impractical to introduce the fashion for wallpaper there as the climate was not suitable. The heat and humidity caused the paper to peel away from the wall after a short time, and it would also become infested with insects. It seems likely, therefore, that these wallpaper panels were produced to be used as temporary decorations, perhaps for religious festivals. Subjects Depicted This scene appears to have been copied from a 19th-century south Indian painting. It combines elements of European design (the chandeliers) with decorative features (the arch) characteristic of Indian art of the Mughal period (1526-1857). The figures depicted in this panel and others in the series are all characters from Hindu mythology. The god Vishnu (the Preserver) is seen reclining on the serpent Ananta, on the waters of Nara; Brahma (the Creator in the Hindu pantheon) appears in a lotus flower which rises from Vishnu's navel. Vishnu's sleep on the eternal waters symbolises the dormant periods between the ages of the universe. Brahma's reappearance signals his re-creation of the universe to begin a new age. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.1821-1934 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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