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AN ILLUSTRATION DEPICTING THE GODDESS MAHAKALIKA INDIA, PUNJAB HILLS, CIRCA 1820 | AN ILLUSTRATION DEPICTING THE GODDESS MAHAKALIKA
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 USD
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Description
- Opaque watercolor on paper heightened with gold
- folio: 10 1/2 by 7 7/8 in. (26.6 by 20 cm.), unframed
- image: 7 by 4 7/8 in. (17.8 by 12.5 cm.)
The Goddess Mahakali is the principal deity in the Tantric pantheon. She is worshipped as the savior of good in its continual struggle against evil and her divine presence signifies the birth of supreme conscience and intelligence. In her rudra or angry form, she saves both the Gods and humankind innumerable times from the destruction wrought by demons. Her fearsome form is meant to strike terror at heart of all dark forces. The artist effectively captures Kalika's fierce aspect as he portrays her dancing the tandava, the eternal dance of creation and destruction, clad in a girdle and a garland of severed human heads. The inclusion of the heads of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, the three principal and most powerful deities in the Hindu pantheon, encircling the Goddess' waist, effectively establishes her supremacy and announces her status as the repository of absolute and universal power.
Provenance
Sotheby's New York, March 19, 2008, lot 219.
Private German Collection.
Acquired from the Royal Library of Mandi in 1969.
Private German Collection.
Acquired from the Royal Library of Mandi in 1969.
Condition
In excellent overall condition with no apparent condition issues. Exhibited in a temporary frame.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.