Illustration to a Markendeya Purana: Devi refuses the invitation of the demon
Opaque watercolor on paper, Kangra or Guler, Circa 1790
This continuous narrative scene shows the goddess Ambika seated on a rock in discussion with the demon warrior Chanda on the left side of the page. The demon has been sent by the powerful titan Shumbha to ask for the goddess's hand in marriage. The goddess agrees on the basis that he first must defeat her in a duel. On the right the yellow-skinned demon is shown departing in an animated fashion depicting his exasperation.
image: 5 ½ x 7 ½ in. (14 x 19 cm), folio: 7 ¼ x 9 in.(18.5 x 22.9 cm)
This continuous narrative scene shows the goddess Ambika seated on a rock in discussion with the demon warrior Chanda on the left side of the page. The demon has been sent by the powerful titan Shumbha to ask for the goddess's hand in marriage. The goddess agrees on the basis that he first must defeat her in a duel. On the right the yellow-skinned demon is shown departing in an animated fashion depicting his exasperation.
image: 5 ½ x 7 ½ in. (14 x 19 cm), folio: 7 ¼ x 9 in.(18.5 x 22.9 cm)
Sold for
US$ 4,750
inc. premium
Footnotes
- The setting is the sparse foothills beneath the stylized snow-covered mountains that help to convey the harsh discussion between the two figures. The two scenes are cleverly divided by the artists with the use of a central tree, whose trunk is bent over to expose the finely detailed tangle of branches.
Compare with two pages from Guler page showing the same scene in Aijazuddhin, fig 41 (xiii), p. 45 and The Ford Collection in Pal, 2001, no. 54a, p. 124.
Provenance:
Private Collection
Acquired from Doris Weiner in 1980s
Category: Asian Art / Southeast Asian, Indian and Himalayan Art
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