24/10/2023
🙏🏻
Sri Sri Durga
ca. 1885–95
India, West Bengal, Calcutta
Chromolithographic print on paper
The goddess Durga, wielding an array of weapons in her ten arms, slays the buffalo demon Mahisha, who now reveals himself in human form. Durga plunges a trident (trisula) into his chest, whilst her lion mount (vahana) mauls his arm. To her left stands Lakshmi who holds two flowers while on the right stands Saraswati holding a vina. Dancing in the lower left is Ganesha with his rat vehicle at his feet, while to the right Skanda sits astride his peacock. All is staged on a dais supported with lion-feet and framed by a decorative arch on fluted columns. An inset painted panel evokes Victorian architectural decoration in the academic manner, but with Hindu deities replacing classical philosophers and muses.
Image and text credit:
© The Metropolitan Museum of Art
