Figure Item Number: Ef193 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Clay model of human figure. Torso is pinched at waist and lower extremities form a wide skirt that is pained yellow, red, green and white. Arms are stumpy and roughly depicted. Hands and face painted black. Wears plain silver crown. Back is unpainted.
History Of Use
These figures were made by Bengali potters for sale as ritual objects at Shelda Market in Calcutta during the Bengali equivalent of the Ratha Yatra festival. After the festival their function doubles as toys for children. Made by Bengali Kumbhakara caste (Kumara).
Iconographic Meaning
Figure depicts Jagannath, lord of the world, a form of Krishna. In Bengal and Orissa, it often replaces Buddha as the ninth incarnation of Vishnu.
Narrative
Local mythology explains that the carpenter and architect of the gods, Viswa Karma, was interrupted while making the original temple image and refused to complete it, leaving it in an unfinished crude form.
Item History
- Made in Calcutta, 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
Who
- Culture
- Indian: Northern Indian and Indian: Central Indian
- Previous Owner
- Stephen Inglis
- Received from
- Museum of Anthropology Donations Fund (Funding source) and Stephen Inglis (Seller)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Calcutta, West Bengal, India
When
- Creation Date
- before 1976
- Collection Date
- during 1976
- Ownership Date
- before December 2, 1977
- Acquisition Date
- on December 2, 1977
Other
- Item Classes
- ceramics
- Condition
- fair
- Current Location
- Case 105
- Accession Number
- 0411/0096