c. 1890
Gum tempera, graphite, ink, and tin on paper
Painting: 45.1 x 27.7 cm (17 3/4 x 10 7/8 in.)
Gift of William E. Ward in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward 2003.148
Brahma once had five heads, but the god Shiva decapitated one of them.
The god of creation has four arms and four heads. The manuscript in his upper right hand indicates that he is the source of sacred knowledge as the quintessential Brahman. The lotus flower in his lower right hand references birth and procreation. He would typically hold a rosary and water pot in his left hands, which are here difficult to clearly identify given the cursory style of Kalighat painitngs. His mount, the goose, examines the ground at his feet.
The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.
To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.
All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.