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Kantha (Embroidered Quilt)

Late 19th century
Artist/maker unknown, Bengali
In the lower panel, the great ascetic god Shiva- with yellow body and wild, long hair and beard- lounges in apparent nudity but for red ornaments that match his rosary. His companion snake climbs his right side while the goddess Parvati (a form of Durga) sits at his left, demurely covering her head as should a wife in her husband's presence. Floating around the piece are several blue lingas, the rounded pillar that is the mark of Shiva, set into their socket-bases. Also floating are three heads, each cleanly ending at the neck. These may be a form of the local deity Dakshin Ray, the Tiger God.

Object Details

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