Shiva Ravananugrahamurti; woman holding a flywhisk; rearing yali
ca. 1800
Medium
Ink and wash on J. Whatman paper watermarked 1798
Dimensions
Sheet (folded): 16 1/8 × 10 1/16 in. (41 × 25.5 cm) Sheet: 16 1/8 × 20 1/8 in. (41 × 51.1 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture
India, Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2021
Accession Number
2021.333
Art Historical Context
This captivating ink and wash drawing from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, 1800, depicts *Shiva Ravananugurti*—a dynamic Hindu iconographic scene where Lord Shiva grants a boon to the demon king Ravana. Flanking the divine figures are a graceful woman bearing a flywhisk, a symbol of royal service, and a rearing yali, the fierce mythical beast common in South Indian temple architecture blending human, lion, and horse features to ward off evil. Created by an unidentified artist, it reflects the vibrant Tanjore school traditions of the Nayak period, emphasizing intricate line work and subtle shading to conv...
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –