1907,1111.71

Description

Scope and content : D. VII. 6. Painted wooden panel; rectangular. OBVERSE: Seated three-faced, four-armed figure, cross-legged, on cushion decorated with dice pattern in yellow, red, and green. Flesh blue. On arms Uttarīya (yellow), armlets and bracelets (yellow); round neck, massive jewelled collar; large rings in ears; fine diadem (yellow and white) with pink flowers; hair, eyebrows, &c., black. Hair curling and long; Langōṭī tiger-skin in red and yellow. Long, loose collar, outlined only in black, hangs round neck as low as waist. Below cushion, as Vāhanas, two bulls sitting in profile, facing inwards; humps very small. Face to R. and L. of centre. R. p., three-quarter to R., effeminate, white, black hair, simple jewelled diadem. L. p., grotesque head, ferocious, dark flesh, eyeballs white, eyebrows thick and black, large mouth open. On head, close-fitting, pink Pāgrī. R. p. front hand at breast holding white object (drum, ḍamaru?); R. p. back hand raised to level of head, cakra; L. p. lower hand on thigh, grasping vajra; L. p. upraised hand Śaṅkha (?). Nimbus behind all three heads, rich green; vesica, fine vermilion field, yellow border, divided by white and Indian red lines; background of upper part of panel appears to have been tinted with white three-pointed leaves. Background of lower part white. All contour lines Indian red. REVERSE: Seated four-armed figure, cross-legged on red cushion, decorated with large four-petalled flowers, highly finished; petals, alternate pink and green, and red centres, and in some cases a black spot in each petal near centre. Costume: yellow undergarment ornamented with large flowers described, and covering legs. Over this a coat, green, with large flowers in black. Round waist a narrow belt, to which is slung, by two double slings, a short, broad sword in ornamented sheath; handle set at angle with blade. On feet, and rising to just below knee, high boots (resembling Hessians), black, embroidered in yellow. Ornaments in yellow encircle ankles. Uttarīya yellow, hangs over arms falling to thighs. Head three-quarter face to R. p., purely Persian. Black, almost straight hair; black, bushy eyebrows; thick, short beard; thin moustache, trained to sharp points. Lips full and sensuous, mouth smiling, slightly open, showing upper teeth. Eyeballs white, pupils black. Large, heavy rings in short ears. Ornaments in yellow on upper arms. Headdress in yellow, resembling a Persian tiara, retaining indications of diagonal pattern on front. Round lower edge of headdress is tied the Uttarīya in a loose knot at back of head, the ends falling over arms in usual way. R. p. hand front, clenched, rests on thigh; R. rear, upraised, holds flower (?). L. p. at breast, Vajra; L. p. rear, upraised spear-head. Flesh deep pink. Nimbus green, outlined white. Vesica, field red, border pale green, divided by white line. Sleeves on rear arms purple with white diaper; cuffs pink with large green flowers. In top spandrils conventional four-petalled flower and leaves, pink on white ground. Whole character of this side of panel essentially Persian. Wood in good condition. 12¾" high, 8" wide, ¾-½" thick. See Plates LX, LXI. [AK]