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Konkan region (Karnataka)
Wood with traces of polychroming
An unusual painted dancing mask with excellent patina. It has pierced eye openings, protruding ears and large upturned moustache over a simpering grin. A brilliant red Vaishnavite tilak marks his the forehead. The figure wears an extremely unusual tiered and recessed crown that encircles the head and forms a stylised beard.
The Kokna are a major tribe found in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan. The tribe carve masks representing mythological characters for the Bhavada festival. This festival is a combination of dance and drama, celebrated during March and April. The masks were carved from soft wood which allows an intricate detailing of various facial expressions. Modern masks are now made from Papier-mâché as they are lighter and more durable.
The characters of the tribal masks represent either deities including Vishnu, Ravana and Ganesha, ancestral spirits, totem, mythological character, animals and birds. Every dancer enacts steps typical of the character whose mask he wears, as he dances to the tune of musical instruments like the Sur, Kahali and Sambal. During the festival procession, masked dancers enact myths from tribal folklore as well as Hindu epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Mask Size (cms): 58 (H) x 34 (W) x 19(D), 64 (H with stand)
Mask Size (inches): 14 (H) x 8.25 (W) x 6.5 (D), 25 (H with stand)
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Coastal Karnataka (Bhuta culture)
Wood
A rare figure of a male donor chief. He wears a turban, has a prominent moustache and is decked with typical jewellery including a single strand necklace with a pendant, armlet and earrings. He wears an unstitched garment tied at the waist with pleats at the front, called a mundu.
The bhuta tradition is popular on the Malabar coast. Bounded by the dramatic sweep of the forested ghats to the east and the Arabian sea to the west, and encircled by rivers, the South Kanara district of coastal Karnataka has enjoyed relative geographic isolation until recent years. This has enabled the region to retain specific pre-Hindu belief systems and associated rituals, virtually intact, over several hundred years. These practices have a distinct identity of their own, although they have become linked in a variety of ways with mainstream Hinduism. Though now primarily confined to Coastal Karnataka, Bhuta cults once existed all over India under different names and forms. The factions, which are of considerable antiquity, have much in common with those of the yakshas (mysterious semi-divine beings), for instance.
Size (cms): 147(H) x 44(W) x 54(D)
Size (inches): 58(H) x 17.5(W) x 21.5(D)
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Coastal Karnataka (Bhuta culture)
Wood
A rare figure of a Virabhadra in the form of a Bhuta. He wears a turban, has a prominent moustache and beard and is decked with typical jewellery including a single strand necklace with a pendant, armlet and earrings. He wears an unstitched garment tied at the waist with pleats at the front, called a mundu. He carries in one hand the head of a slain enemy and in the other, he would have held a sword.
The bhuta tradition is popular on the Malabar coast. Bounded by the dramatic sweep of the forested ghats to the east and the Arabian sea to the west, and encircled by rivers, the South Kanara district of coastal Karnataka has enjoyed relative geographic isolation until recent years. This has enabled the region to retain specific pre-Hindu belief systems and associated rituals, virtually intact, over several hundred years. These practices have a distinct identity of their own, although they have become linked in a variety of ways with mainstream Hinduism. Though now primarily confined to Coastal Karnataka, Bhuta cults once existed all over India under different names and forms.
Size (cms): 188(H) x 56(W) x 56(D)
Size (inches): 74(H) x 22(W) x 22(D)
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Orissa
Wood, polychromed
An elegant figure of an apsara wearing a patterned blouse. The apsara wears extensive jewellery; including multiple hand and leg ornaments. She has a stylised form with a narrow waist and large breasts and carries a conch in either hand. She has a full face with a pronounced chin, large arched eyebrows over bulbous eyes and a gentle smile.
Apsaras means ‘essence of the waters’ or ‘moving in or between the waters’. The Apsaras are divine beauties, the dancers of the gods, who dwell in Indra’s paradise, svarga (heaven). Mistresses of the Gandharva’s (semi divine beings) and, occasionally, of men, they can assume any form at will. Generally they are believed to have originated from the churning of the ocean, alone with the wish fulfilling Parijata, their favoured tree. They are often sent by the gods to seduce Rishis (holy men) and ascetics. Heroes who fall in battle are swept away to Svarga by the Apsaras. They are reputed to dwell in trees along with the Gandharvas. The chief of the Apsaras is Urvashi.
Size (cms): 33.5(H) x 13(W) x 10(D)
Size (inches): 13(H) x 5(W) x 4(D)
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Orissa
Wood, polychromed
An elegant figure of an apsara wearing a patterned blouse. The apsara is adorned with extensive jewelry, including multiple hand and leg ornaments. She has a stylised form with a narrow waist and large breasts, and she holds a floral garland in front of her. Her full face features a pronounced chin, large arched eyebrows over bulbous eyes, and a gentle smile.
Apsaras means ‘essence of the waters’ or ‘moving in or between the waters’. The Apsaras are divine beauties, the dancers of the gods, who dwell in Indra’s paradise, svarga (heaven). Mistresses of the Gandharva’s (semi divine beings) and, occasionally, of men, they can assume any form at will. Generally they are believed to have originated from the churning of the ocean, alone with the wish fulfilling Parijata, their favoured tree. They are often sent by the gods to seduce Rishis (holy men) and ascetics. Heroes who fall in battle are swept away to Svarga by the Apsaras. They are reputed to dwell in trees along with the Gandharvas. The chief of the Apsaras is Urvashi.
Size (cms): 33.5(H) x 13(W) x 10(D)
Size (inches): 13(H) x 5(W) x 4(D)
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Nepal
Wood, hide and cane
The dhyangro is a double-headed frame drum used by jhakris (tribal shamans), especially those of the Magars, the Kirati, and the Tamang, in the Middle Hills region of the Himalayas in Nepal. It is considered an ancient tool of magic and has been used by shamans for centuries to enter a trance and channel benevolent helping deities. The drum is played by holding the handle in the left hand, with the frame level with the face, and striking the outer head with the right hand holding a curved stick.
The drum has hide drumheads stretched over a circular wooden rim, secured with rattan strips. The handle is elongated and carved to resemble a phurba or esoteric dagger found in Tibetan Buddhist ritual. The handle features ornate relief carving depicting three deity heads and many shamanistic symbols, such as endless knots and caduceus-like symbols, that encircle it.
Size (cms): 65(H) x 35(W) x 14(D)
Size (inches): 25.5(H) x 14(W) x 5.5(D)
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Konkan region (Karnataka)
Wood, polychromed
Gauri is the name of a benevolent goddess, consort of Shiva or Varuna. Connected with the rains, she is reputed to be the source of the world and the embodiment of motherhood. She is depicted as a two-or four-armed woman of fair complexion, carrying in her upper arms prayer beads and a water pot, while the lower hands are in Abhaya and Varadamudra. She may also carry a mirror, a fish, a lotus, a trident and a floral wreath. Her mount is the godhika (iguana). Occasionally she is shown riding either a lion, a wolf, a pig or a goose.
Size with stand (cms): 29.5(H) x 16(W) x 7.5(D)
Size with stand (inches): 11.5(H) x 6.5(W) x 3(D)
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Konkan region (Karnataka)
Wood, polychromed
Gauri is the name of a benevolent goddess, consort of Shiva or Varuna. Connected with the rains, she is reputed to be the source of the world and the embodiment of motherhood. She is depicted as a two-or four-armed woman of fair complexion, carrying in her upper arms prayer beads and a water pot, while the lower hands are in Abhaya and Varadamudra. She may also carry a mirror, a fish, a lotus, a trident and a floral wreath. Her mount is the godhika (iguana). Occasionally she is shown riding either a lion, a wolf, a pig or a goose.
Size with stand (cms): 9.5(H) x 5(W) x 3(D)
Size with stand (inches): 24.5(H) x 13(W) x 7.5(D)
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Indo-Portuguese, probably Goa
Polychromed wood
Saints figures normally used in processions, were called ‘Cribb’ (skeletal) figures, and were common in the East as well as in Portugal, Spain and Italy. In these figures most of the artistic effort went into rendering the head. The body comprised a simple wood structure which would be dressed, thus avoiding the need to sculpt the entire figure. To this were attached the head, hands and feet.
Size(cms): 44 (H) x 19 (W) x 19 (D)
Size(inches): 17 (H) x 7.5 (W) x 7.5 (D)
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Patan (Gujarat)
Wood
A fine figural strut formed as a crowned celestial musician (Vidyadhara). She holds a small drum and wears a patterned blouse and a flowing pleated skirt standing in a typical curved posture. Her long veil drapes behind her shoulders resembling wings. The appearance of wings on figures is a very old tradition in Indian art. Although seen in many parts of Gujarat the treatment his novel : the robes of the figure turn up at the ends and the veil cross the shoulders and turns into wings.
The ancestral occupation of the Hindu Suthar community, the craft of wood carving was practiced in several districts of Gujarat including Patan, Kadi, Ahmedabad and Nadiad, although the legacy of exquisite wood carving seen in the traditional havelis, mansions, is evident in all the districts of Gujarat. Patan district is renowned for the intricately carved Bohra haveli or mansions at Siddhpur; these structures are characterised by their eclectic use of geometric or floral patterns as well as motifs inspired by European and West Asian decorative elements on the woodwork of the balconies and ceilings.The wooden architecture of Ahmedabad on the other hand, acquires its distinctive aesthetic through the use of patterns borrowed from block printing and textiles.
Size (cms): 72.5(H) x 20(W) x 28(D)
Size (inches): 28.5(H) x 8(W) x 11(D)
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Gujarat (Western India)
Wood with traces of polychrome
An attractive architectural bracket with original colour depicting a figure holding an instrument, possibly a Tanpura. The figure wears a decorated crown and has a stylised face with large ovular eyes pressing into a pointed nose and ears in the shape of swirling foliage. He is dressed in a pleated dhoti and a patterned vest. A stylised stole that is draped across his shoulders, turn into wings that emerge from either end of his body. A tilak is marked on his forehead.
Dwarapalas or ‘door guardians’ are placed at the entrance of every temple, shrine or sacred precinct. Two or four-handed, they sometimes carry in their hands the emblem of the deity enshrined in the sanctuary. Their countenance may sometimes be fierce and occasionally fangs protrude from their mouths. Temples dedicated to goddesses have female guardians – the Dwarapalikas.
Size (cms): 75 (H) x 20 (W) x 19 (D)
Size (inches): 29.5 (H) x 8 (W) x 7.5 (D)
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Patan (Gujarat)
Wood, polychromed
A decorative winged musician bracket, the figure who is crowned holds a percussion instrument. She wears a patterned blouse and a pleated skirt.
The ancestral occupation of the Hindu Suthar community, the craft of wood carving was practiced in several districts of Gujarat including Patan, Kadi, Ahmedabad and Nadiad, although the legacy of exquisite wood carving seen in the traditional havelis, mansions, is evident in all the districts of Gujarat. Patan district is renowned for the intricately carved Bohra haveli or mansions at Siddhpur; these structures are characterised by their eclectic use of geometric or floral patterns as well as motifs inspired by European and West Asian decorative elements on the woodwork of the balconies and ceilings.The wooden architecture of Ahmedabad on the other hand, acquires its distinctive aesthetic through the use of patterns borrowed from block printing and textiles.
Size (cms): 64(H) x 14(W) x 21(D)
Size (inches): 25(H) x 5.5(W) x 8.5(D)
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Patan (Gujarat)
Wood
An attractive wooden winged apsara bracket. The crowned figure has patterned wings and holds a long garland which is looped around her leg.
The ancestral occupation of the Hindu Suthar community, the craft of wood carving was practiced in several districts of Gujarat including Patan, Kadi, Ahmedabad and Nadiad, although the legacy of exquisite wood carving seen in the traditional havelis, mansions, is evident in all the districts of Gujarat. Patan district is renowned for the intricately carved Bohra haveli or mansions at Siddhpur; these structures are characterised by their eclectic use of geometric or floral patterns as well as motifs inspired by European and West Asian decorative elements on the woodwork of the balconies and ceilings.The wooden architecture of Ahmedabad on the other hand, acquires its distinctive aesthetic through the use of patterns borrowed from block printing and textiles.
Size (cms): 77(H) x 55(W) x 18(D)
Size (inches): 30.5(H) x 21.5(W) x 7(D)
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Patan (Gujarat)
Wood, polychromed
A fine figure of a winged angel, crowned, holding a pair of small cymbals. She wears a patterned blouse and a pleated skirt and stands on a lotus shaped base.
The ancestral occupation of the Hindu Suthar community, the craft of wood carving was practiced in several districts of Gujarat including Patan, Kadi, Ahmedabad and Nadiad, although the legacy of exquisite wood carving seen in the traditional havelis, mansions, is evident in all the districts of Gujarat. Patan district is renowned for the intricately carved Bohra haveli or mansions at Siddhpur; these structures are characterised by their eclectic use of geometric or floral patterns as well as motifs inspired by European and West Asian decorative elements on the woodwork of the balconies and ceilings.The wooden architecture of Ahmedabad on the other hand, acquires its distinctive aesthetic through the use of patterns borrowed from block printing and textiles.
Size including the stand (cms): 80 (H) x 28 (W) x 19 (D)
Size including the stand (inches): 31.5 (H) x 11 (W) x 7.5 (D)
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Orissa
Wood, polychromed
An elegant figure of an apsara wearing a patterned blouse. The apsara wears extensive jewellery; including multiple hand and leg ornaments. She has a stylised form with a narrow waist and large breasts and carries a flute in her hands. She has a full face with a pronounced chin, large arched eyebrows over bulbous eyes and a gentle smile.
Apsaras means ‘essence of the waters’ or ‘moving in or between the waters’. The Apsaras are divine beauties, the dancers of the gods, who dwell in Indra’s paradise, svarga (heaven). Mistresses of the Gandharva’s (semi divine beings) and, occasionally, of men, they can assume any form at will. Generally they are believed to have originated from the churning of the ocean, alone with the wish fulfilling Parijata, their favoured tree. They are often sent by the gods to seduce Rishis (holy men) and ascetics. Heroes who fall in battle are swept away to Svarga by the Apsaras. They are reputed to dwell in trees along with the Gandharvas. The chief of the Apsaras is Urvashi.
Size (cms): 33(H) x 13(W) x 10(D)
Size (inches): 13(H) x 5(W) x 4(D)
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Nagaland (North-East India)
Wood
Male standing figure adorned with red and white glass bead necklaces. Carved from solid trunks of trees, the solemn expressions of these wood sculptures sometimes heightened by cowrie shells, bead necklaces or human and animal hair, combined with the blunt tubular carving on dark wood give these Naga figures a silent though persuasive identity.
A key fixture in nearly all Naga settlements was the Morung, or Men’s House, which served as something of a community center. It was usually the biggest and most beautifully furnished building in a village, spacious and decorated with ornate carvings. Numerous wooden sculptures decorated the walls and posts of the farthest end of the innermost space of the Morung. They expressed the narrative traditions of the Naga. Wooden sculpture such as this, depicting would be posted near the walls of the Morung, were not uncommon and thought to relate to fertility.
The Naga are a group of culturally and linguistically linked tribes who live in the mountainous regions of northeastern India and northwestern Burma (Myanmar). As headhunters, they were feared and avoided by their neighbours, allowing them to develop a distinctive material culture—in which objects they created are of impressive aesthetic value and possess great symbolic importance to the community—and a complex system of norms and taboos.
Size (cms): 46(H) x 9(W) x 7(D)
Size (inches): 18(H) x 3.5(W) x 3(D)
