The central figure is adorned with intricate patterns and bright colors, surrounded by a symbolic floral and bird backdrop.The figure is shown wearing a a crown with an orange and yellow design and its surrounded by two smaller similar figure heads.
Type of Painting
Watercolor
Artwork Details
Medium
Paper, ink
Subject
Lord Brahma
Subject Person or Organization
Lord Brahma
Subject Place
Country
India
Acquisition
Accession
1998.09
Source or Donor
Derek Davenport
Acquisition Method
Gift
Credit Line
Gift of Derek Davenport
Made/Created
Time Period
Late 20th century
Ethnography
Cultural Region
Region
Madhubani
Country
India
Notes
Traditionally produced by women, Madhubani/Mithila paintings are identifiable by bright colors, geometric patterning, and two-dimensionality.
Inscription/Signature/Marks
Type
Attribution, Label
Location
Back Upper Left Corner
Transcription
Lord Brahma the Creator in the Holy Trinity
Material/Technique
Written
Notes
Label is scratched out, handwritten above it
Lexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Primary Object Term
Painting
Nomenclature Class
Art
Nomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication Objects
Dimensions
Height
30 in
Width
22 in
Provenance
Notes
Derek Davenport (1927-2017), West Lafayette, Indiana; donated to the Purdue University Galleries in 1998
Exhibition
Paintings from India: Historical and Modern (2019)
Interpretative Labels
Label Type
Exhibition label
Label
(From Paintings from India: Historical and Modern Reuff West Feb 11-22, 2019):
Colors of orange, yellow, and red vividly represent this Lord. He is usually depicted with four faces, whereas here there appear only three. He is the God of creation, speech and knowledge. In many representations he is shown with an axe. Several lotus flowers are evident, and they are found throughout Hinduism as symbols of purity and divine beauty.
