Demons receiving deities
Demons receiving deities

On view

South Asian Art

Demons receiving deities,

ca. 1690–1710

Indian
y1947-341.3

In despair, the vanquished devas turned to the supreme divine Hindu trinity—creator Brahma, preserver Vishnu, and destroyer Shiva—and implored them for help. Realizing that only female energy could eliminate the demonic Mahishasura, the gods created a single powerful manifestation of the goddess Durga. Here, the devas are visiting any being they think might come to their aid, including a large blue-headed monster.

Namrata B. Kanchan, PhD Candidate,
Department of Asian Studies, University of Texas at Austin

Information

Title
Demons receiving deities
Dates

ca. 1690–1710

Medium
Opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
13.7 × 18.4 cm (5 3/8 × 7 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Frank Jewett Mather Jr.
Object Number
y1947-341.3
Place Made

Asia, India, Himachal Pradesh, Mankot

Culture
Indian
Type
manuscripts
Materials
paper (fiber product), watercolor
Subject
palaces, demons, gods, miniatures (paintings)

Mankot, Himachal Pradesh, India; Professor Frank Jewett Mather Jr. (1868–1953); given to the Princeton University Art Museum, 1947.

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