Goddess Jagadhatri
The regal young goddess whose name means “Bearer of the World,” sits elegantly on her lion companion as he navigates mountainous terrain. Jagadhatri is an emanation of Kali who, according to one myth, transformed herself into a fair complexioned beauty after Shiva made disparaging remarks in jest about Kali’s dark skin. Shiva misses his spouse intensely and fails to recognize her in her new guise. Her true identity is established when Jagadhatri garlands Shiva with a cobra, shown poised above her left shoulder. She displays in her four hands a bow, arrow, discus, and conch, and is richly bejeweled; even her lion sports a jeweled gold diadem.
Artwork Details
- Title: Goddess Jagadhatri
- Date: 1878–1883
- Culture: West Bengal, Calcutta
- Medium: Lithograph, printed in black and hand-coloring with watercolor and selectively applied glaze
- Dimensions: Sheet: 16 in. × 12 1/2 in. (40.6 × 31.8 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Purchase, Robert and Bobbie Falk Philanthropic Fund Gift, 2021
- Object Number: 2021.201
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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