Artwork Page for A Prince Performs Austerities (recto); Shiva and His Followers Return to Mount Kailash (verso), from a Romance of Chandrabhanu and Lavanyavati of Upendra Bhanja (1670–1740)

Details / Information for A Prince Performs Austerities (recto); Shiva and His Followers Return to Mount Kailash (verso), from a Romance of Chandrabhanu and Lavanyavati of Upendra Bhanja (1670–1740)

A Prince Performs Austerities (recto); Shiva and His Followers Return to Mount Kailash (verso), from a Romance of Chandrabhanu and Lavanyavati of Upendra Bhanja (1670–1740)

1700s

Eastern India, Odisha

(formerly Orissa)
View all records in artwork set
Medium
gum tempera and lampblack on palm leaf
Measurements
Leaf: 5.1 x 41 cm (2 x 16 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 2018.175
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

There is a three-legged yogi on the verso.

Description

In this illustration from the beginning of a popular romance, a prince performed intense austerities and devotions to the Shiva linga in order to obtain a divine woman. He practices yoga surrounded by fires during the hot season and wanders unsheltered during monsoon, as seen on the recto. On the verso, Shiva has answered his prayers and returns home to his "cave on Mount Kailash," as stated in the inscription.
A horizontally oriented palm leaf painting features two narrative bands in warm yellow and earthy red tones. Fine lampblack outlines define stylized figures with medium-light skin tones. Above, an ascetic sits amidst radiating fires and detailed trees. Below, a multi-armed Shiva rides a white bull, followed by attendants through a landscape of patterned hills. This rhythmic, elongated composition utilizes flat, repetitive patterns to document sacred mythological scenes through traditional brushwork.

A Prince Performs Austerities (recto); Shiva and His Followers Return to Mount Kailash (verso), from a Romance of Chandrabhanu and Lavanyavati of Upendra Bhanja (1670–1740)

1700s

Eastern India, Odisha (formerly Orissa)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

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 fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork