Durga, Mahishasuramardini

1850–70

Not on view

This print celebrates the goddess Durga enthroned in her portable shrine (pandal, temporary pavilion), such as she would be paraded in on festival days during the annual Durga Puja in Calcutta. Durga, in the form of Mahishasurmardini, is seen in the act of slaying the mighty demon Mahisha, whose human form emerges from the bull when the beast is decapitated by Durga’s sword. Durga is flanked by Sarasvati and Ganesha on her right, and Parvati and Kartikeya to her left. The figures are framed within an architectural setting with a curved frieze (chaalchitra) showing various mythological scenes. The composition is bordered on all four sides by rosette and lozenge pattern, and on the upper frame a drawn curtain with tassels frames the divine scene. Touches of red and yellow watercolor on the print are hand-painted, adding to the vivacity of the image. Concealed with the lower register, marked by a brickwork patterning, is the artist’s inscription, in both Persian and Bengal scripts.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Durga, Mahishasuramardini
Artist: Krishna Chandra
Date: 1850–70
Culture: India, Calcutta, West Bengal
Medium: Relief print from a metal plate or woodblock, with watercolor (hand coloring)
Dimensions: Sheet: 17 1/8 × 11 1/2 in. (43.5 × 29.2 cm)
Classification: Prints
Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2020
Object Number: 2020.14
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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