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Description

A watercolour painting which depicts a spiritual being seated on a bird. The being's skin is brown and its arms are green. It is wearing a blue skirt that ends just below the knee and curls outward at the hip. A piece of fabric hangs down from the skirt's waistband, which is decorated with a repeating circular pattern. The bottom of the skirt has a border made up of yellow and brown horizontal stripes. The main body of the skirt is covered in thinner horizontal stripes, and consists of two pieces which come together in the front. A blue, dotted sash is draped diagonally across the being's chest. Additional adornments wrap around its chest and neck, and decorative bands encircle its biceps, wrists, and ankles. The being has half-moon shaped eyes, a small mouth, and stretched earlobes that extend down to its chin. It is wearing a headpiece that comes to a point on both sides. There is a teardrop shaped decoration on top of the headpiece, and side panels extends across the being's shoulders. One of the being's arms is raised by its side, and the other is holding a hooked object with a long, thin shaft. One of the being's legs is bent underneath it, and rests on the back of a bird. The other is stretched toward the floor. The bird is blue, with a long, full tail and long, yellow legs. Three decorative feathers extend from its head, which is pointed at the floor. The painting's background is bright yellow, and a rectangular black border surrounds the image. Blue and white oblong rings radiate from behind the being's head and shoulders.

History Of Use

The imagery is possibly associated with ritual healing in Sri Lanka. The set of watercolours (3392/3-34) is said to depict spirits that inhabit planets, or deviyo (minor gods) or rakshas and yakkas (evil or mischievous beings). These beings are often depicted in masked dances and exorcisms.

Narrative

The collector, Dr. Michael Egan, wrote his doctoral thesis on healing rituals in Sri Lanka. His fieldwork was carried out in the south of Sri Lanka, in the village of Kadurupokuna (Hambantota District), between Sept. 1965 and Nov. 1966.

Iconographic Meaning

Identified as one of the spirits that inhabit planets, which are often invoked in healing rituals.

Item History

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