BHUVANESHWARI ON A LOTUS THRONE
India, late 19th century

BHUVANESHWARI ON A LOTUS THRONE
India, late 19th century

Opaque pigments and gold on wasli paper, the vertical composition depicting a Hindu goddess, most probably Bhuvaneshwari, the Queen of the Universe, the fourth of ten Mahavidyas or Shakti avataras (manifestations of the Devi), seated on a lotus throne in the centre, holding in her two upper hands her attributes, a goad and a noose / rosary, the lower two hands in meditation pose, her red complexion enhanced by her red cape and by her heavily encrusted golden jewellery and headdress, set within black and white rules and ochre and red borders, a Devanagari inscription in black ink identifying the Goddess' manifestation at the top of the composition, the recto plain, 24.5cm x 19.5cm.

Provenance: in a private UK collection since the late 1970s.

Dimensions: 24.5cm x 19.5cm