Apparition of a Tree Spirit during Worship
Artist/maker unknown, Indian
Geography:
Made in Kota, Rajasthan, India, Asia
Date:
c. 1725Medium:
Opaque watercolor and gold on paperDimensions:
Image: 7 7/8 × 6 1/2 inches (20 × 16.5 cm) Sheet: 10 1/2 × 8 9/16 inches (26.7 × 21.7 cm)Curatorial Department:
South Asian ArtObject Location:
1994-148-392Credit Line:
Stella Kramrisch Collection, 1994
Made in Kota, Rajasthan, India, Asia
Date:
c. 1725Medium:
Opaque watercolor and gold on paperDimensions:
Image: 7 7/8 × 6 1/2 inches (20 × 16.5 cm) Sheet: 10 1/2 × 8 9/16 inches (26.7 × 21.7 cm)Curatorial Department:
South Asian ArtObject Location:
Currently not on view
Accession Number:1994-148-392Credit Line:
Stella Kramrisch Collection, 1994
Label:
Two women perform puja, the act of ritual worship, to the god Shiva in his nonhuman form as a linga. They pour water, offer garlands, and touch the sacred stone. Monkeys participate by bending flowers toward the holy form, while a wish-granting spirit in the guise of a beautiful woman emerges from the branches of a tree. This painting opens a window into the world of popular faith and traditional beliefs, where nature and its vital energy play a central role.
Two women perform puja, the act of ritual worship, to the god Shiva in his nonhuman form as a linga. They pour water, offer garlands, and touch the sacred stone. Monkeys participate by bending flowers toward the holy form, while a wish-granting spirit in the guise of a beautiful woman emerges from the branches of a tree. This painting opens a window into the world of popular faith and traditional beliefs, where nature and its vital energy play a central role.
