Important Notice

Kullu School
Circa 1720
Natural pigments on paper
5.25 x 7.5 in (13.5 x 19 cm)

NON-EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY

PROVENANCE
Formerly in the Collection of Jagdish and Kamla Mittal




This painting depicts an event from the Durga Saptashati or Devi Mahatmya, taken from Markandeya Purana. The goddess is shown in her fierce Durga avatar slaughtering Mahishasura, the buffalo demon. Her six arms hold her various attributes as she is seen astride a tiger and plunging her trishul (trident) in Mahishasura’s stomach. Durga wears a red sari and a yellow striped blouse and bears a Shaivite tilak (mark) on her forehead with an opened third eye at its centre. A crescent moon is seen on her spiked crown with a pattern similar to that on her sari. An attendant is seen following Durga’s tiger, fanning her with a flywhisk, which could also be a depiction of Bhairav, a form of Lord Shiva. He also has a crescent moon placed close to his forehead and is seen holding a sword. A grey complexioned Mahishasura’s left arm is cut and has fallen on the ground while his sword is also broken into two pieces and arrows can be seen to have pierced his limbs as blood spills from his body. The shaded foreground is followed by a teal green background and the composition is completed with a red border. The painting was done in a folk Mandi qalam (style) with the artists focused on expressing the underlying emotion or essence of the subject.

Kullu School
Circa 1720
Natural pigments on paper
5.25 x 7.5 in (13.5 x 19 cm)

NON-EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY

PROVENANCE
Formerly in the Collection of Jagdish and Kamla Mittal




This painting depicts an event from the Durga Saptashati or Devi Mahatmya, taken from Markandeya Purana. The goddess is shown in her fierce Durga avatar slaughtering Mahishasura, the buffalo demon. Her six arms hold her various attributes as she is seen astride a tiger and plunging her trishul (trident) in Mahishasura’s stomach. Durga wears a red sari and a yellow striped blouse and bears a Shaivite tilak (mark) on her forehead with an opened third eye at its centre. A crescent moon is seen on her spiked crown with a pattern similar to that on her sari. An attendant is seen following Durga’s tiger, fanning her with a flywhisk, which could also be a depiction of Bhairav, a form of Lord Shiva. He also has a crescent moon placed close to his forehead and is seen holding a sword. A grey complexioned Mahishasura’s left arm is cut and has fallen on the ground while his sword is also broken into two pieces and arrows can be seen to have pierced his limbs as blood spills from his body. The shaded foreground is followed by a teal green background and the composition is completed with a red border. The painting was done in a folk Mandi qalam (style) with the artists focused on expressing the underlying emotion or essence of the subject.