2009.202.19: Portrait of a Seated Shaivite Holy Man with Prayer Beads

Identification and Creation

Object Number

2009.202.19

Title

Portrait of a Seated Shaivite Holy Man with Prayer Beads

Classification

Drawings

Work Type

drawing

Date

18th century

Places

Creation Place: South Asia, India, Rajasthan, Jaipur

Culture

Indian

Persistent Link

https://hvrd.art/o/217333

Physical Descriptions

Medium

Opaque watercolor on paper; Rajput Style

Dimensions

15.5 x 9 cm (6 1/8 x 3 9/16 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History

Stuart Cary Welch (by 1973 - 2008,) by descent; to his estate (2008-2009,) gift; to Harvard Art Museum.

Notes:
Object was part of temporary loan to Museum in 1973.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line

Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, The Stuart Cary Welch Collection, Gift of Edith I. Welch in memory of Stuart Cary Welch

Accession Year

2009

Object Number

2009.202.19

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Contact

am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu

Permissions

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Descriptions

Description

Facing right is a holy man seated cross-legged. He wear a large red turban and a white robe (jama). He has a dark, full beard. In his right hand he holds up prayer beads. The yellow marks on his forehead are known as tilaka. They can be worn on a daily basis by holy men or for religious rites and occasions. The three horizontal marks here indicate that this figure is a Shaivite, someone who venerates the Hindu god Shiva as the supreme deity. Rajput Style.

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