KRISHNA AND RADHA CELEBRATING HOLI
Opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Nurpur
c. 1775
Krishna is an incarnation of the god Vishnu. He is shown with Radha, the beloved of his youth, and other gopis or young cowherd women. Four cowherd boys complete the crowd. In celebration of the Holi sprin...
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A seated portrait of the Sufi saint Sharaf BuʿAli Qalandar
Ink, opaque watercolour and gold on paper.
Mughal Style
18th century
India
Shaikh Sharafuddeen Bu Ali Qalandar Panipati also called Bu Ali Qalandar (1209-1324 CE probably born at Panipat, Haryana) in India was a Sufi saint of the Chish...
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A lady prays in a Shiva shrine - 1770
Bhairavi Ragini
India
Ragamala Paintings are a series of illustrative paintings from medieval India based on Ragamala or the "Garland of Ragas", depicting various Indian musical modes called Ragas. They stand as a classical example of the amalgamation of art...
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Earth in the form of a cow appeals to Brahma
An illustration to the 'Large' Guler-Basohli Bhagavata Purana
Attributed to Fattu, circa 1760-65
Gouache and gold on paper, red border with narrow black margin and double white rules, cover paper with inscriptions comprising two lines of text from th...
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Opaque watercolour painting of the red-complexioned, four-armed and magnificently attired Sūrya. He stands in samabhanga on a low dais at the centre of an oval frame. He carries in each of his upper hands a dagger, while his lower right hand is in abhaya and his lower left in varada mudra....
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Painting illustrating the death of Kṛṣṇa and the Pandavas visiting the dying Bhishma from the epic Razmnameh. Originally from manuscript Bhishma lies in the centre of the scene surrounded immediately by kneeling attendants, while warriors and horsemen stand in the near distance amidst a rocky lan...
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Winged Shaivite? figure riding composite bull, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Murshidabad, ca. 1760
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, ...
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Running youths holding the tails of a humped bull and a winged lion - Fragments of railing copings from the Great Stupa of Amaravati - 1853
Wash drawing by Murugesa Moodaliar of fragments of railing copings from the Great Stupa of Amaravati. This is one of 42 sheets (89 drawings) depicting sculp...
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Garuda, the 'vahana' of Vishnu, returning with the vase of Amrita, which he had stolen from the gods in order to free his mother from Kadru, mother of serpents. The 'vahana' is the animal mount or vehicle of a Hindu god or goddess.
Tiruchchirappalli
ca. 1820 - ca. 1825
Gouache on watermarked pa...
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The shrine of Vishnu in the form of Viraraghavaswami, reclining on the serpent of eternity, the form in which he is worhipped at the shrine of Tiravallur in Chingleput district. To the right stands Lakshmi and to the left a Vaishnava priest.
Tiruchchirappalli
ca. 1820 - ca. 1825
Gouache on wate...
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Painting
Gouache on watermarked paper
Trichinopoly, ca. 1825
Vishnu as Vaikuntha-natha seated on the coils of the serpent Sesha between his two shaktis, Shri and Bhumi Devi; a third, Nila Devi, supports his right foot. From a series of 100 drawings of Hindu deities created in South India...
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early 12th century
India (Uttar Pradesh)
Sandstone
Imagine posing as a model for this dancing female figure. You'll soon realize that this striking pose is anatomically impossible. Yet the sculptor has captured the essence of continuous, whirling motion.