Figure
Item number Ef153 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.
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- Data
- Data Source
This information was automatically generated from data provided by MOA: University of British Columbia. It has been standardized to aid in finding and grouping information within the RRN. Accuracy and meaning should be verified from the Data Source tab.
Description
Roughly burnished brass representation of a woman seated on back of owl. Around her body is a ring of brass coils made separately and attached to her back. Her crown is made of coils of brass and her dominant features, brow, eyes, ears, nose, lips, are determined by the thickness and malleability of the brass. Breasts are twisted circles of brass. Owl has sharp angular wings and tail. It is decorated around its body with loops of brass ridges. The woman has been glued at waist to owl.
History Of Use
Dhokra craftsmen make Hindu ritual objects, rice bowls, and fish purses. They use 'dhuna' threads made from sal tree gum and mustard oil, hand pulled to a thickness of 1/16th of an inch, the depth required for the thickness of the brass which will replace the 'dhuna' in the casting process. Although classic Sanskrit-based brass casting techniques stipulate that ritual objects should be solid caste, this does not apply to folk traditions and the hollow casting predominates.
Cultural Context
communal worship
Iconographic Meaning
Lakshmi is goddess of fortune and giver of wealth, wife of Vishnu and mother of Kama, god of love. She is born either from the ocean, holding a lotus, or was floating on the lotus at the time of creation. The owl is her vehicle.
Item History
- Made in Bankura, West Bengal, India before 1976
- Collected during 1976
- Owned by Stephen Inglis before December 2, 1977
- Received from Museum of Anthropology Donations Fund (Funding source) and Stephen Inglis (Seller) on December 2, 1977
What
- Name
- Figure
- Identification Number
- Ef153
- Type of Item
- figure
- Material
- brass metal and clay
- Manufacturing Technique
- cast, riveted and chiseled
- Overall
- height 14.3 cm, width 6.7 cm, depth 7.2 cm
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Bankura, West Bengal, India
Who
- Culture
- Bengali
- Previous Owner
- Stephen Inglis
- Received from
- Museum of Anthropology Donations Fund (Funding source) and Stephen Inglis (Seller)
When
- Creation Date
- before 1976
- Collection Date
- during 1976
- Ownership Date
- before December 2, 1977
- Acquisition Date
- on December 2, 1977
Other
- Item Classes
- metalwork
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 0411/0235
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