18th Century Wooden sculpture of a Divinity

Pictured here is a high relief sculpture of a three-armed divinity holding gada in both his hands. A gada is a club that essentially has a spherical head mounted on a shaft with a spike on the top. The other upraised hand of the deity also held an object which is now broken. It is an 18^th century wooden sculpture made in South Indian style.

You can also reach us at www.thegreateasternhome.com to know more about some of the pieces on display at our store, or visit one of our stores to take a closer look at this sculpture among other pieces in our collection.

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18th century Sculpture of Lord Shiva and Parvati

Wood has been an excellent medium for artists in India right from the start. Throughout the history of Indian art, wood carvings seems to be the most luxurious kind of art. Well-known example of wooden sculptures can be that of the Hindu temples in ancient period which were marvelously decorated with doors, ceilings and various fittings carved in teak and other kinds of wood. These carvings were marked with typical patterns of extreme richness and minute elaboration. In India, idols of god, goddesses and demigods are the most preferred themes through this presentation.

Seen here is the sculpture of the four armed Lord Shiva with his wife, Parvati, seated on the Nandi. The background is decorated with a round shaped prabhavali. It is an 18^th century sculpture in wood, sculpted in South Indian style. The southern parts of India are known for their wooden sculptures and toys as they display intricate carvings with meticulous finishing. You can always reach us at www.thegreateasternhome.com to know about pieces that intrigue you as that is something that cannot be subdued!

18th century sculpture of Lord Ayyanar

Lord Ayyanar is considered a powerful village God in Tamil Nadu. It is believed that the Ayyanar cult goes back to an ancient clan based Dravidian cult of ancestor worship that is linked to nature and fertility. Shrines to this deity are usually located at the peripheries of villages. The temples of Ayyanar are flanked by gigantic and colorful statues of him and his companions riding horses or elephants.The officiating priests are usually non-Brahmins.

Pictured here is the sculpture of this deity, with his spouse, seated on an elephant, adorned by a traditional and exuberant ‘prabhavali’, which is usually placed at the back of the God’s idol to create the effect of an aura. It is an 18^th century sculpture, in wood, colored in black and sculpted in the South Indian style. The Great Eastern Home has gathered quite some unique masterpieces such as this in its collection. You can also visit www.thegreateasternhome.com to know about pieces that seek your attention.

Sculpture of ‘Natraja’

A sculpture aims to invoke a lot more than just appreciation for its shape. It is one of the most difficult forms of expressive art and India holds an elaborate history of possessing pieces from various times, places and styles. Apart from these elements, each sculpture has its own distinct persona and most importantly, the artist’s own form of expression! The Great Eastern Home displays exclusive pieces of art and artifacts that are centuries old. The sculpture pictured here is of the Hindu god Shiva in the form of Natraja. Natraja in Sanskrit means ‘the King of dance’. It is an 18^th century sculpture in wood from Rajasthan. You will find this piece arranged among the other sculptures at The Great Eastern Home. You can also see other pieces from our collection at www.thegreateasternhome.com

# The Duke of Buckingham’s State Howdah

The Grand Trunk Show. in association with the Taj Khazana, is a grand affair presenting a breath-taking collection of fine furniture, antiques and artifacts. Since the Mumbai show is just round the corner. we thought of giving you a peek into what is in store in the signature collection. These pieces are extremely rare objects, that are highly valued by collectors today and their presence alone is electrifying!

The Howdah was built to mark the victory of the East India Company during the Indian Mutiny of 1857, which was followed by the institution of direct rule by the British Crown in place of the East India Company administration. After declaring sovereignty, the Raj undertook a complete reconstruction of hierarchy. In 1858, the Duke of Buckingham was appointed as the Governor of Madras and this is one of the original five Howdahs’ commissioned for ceremonial use in the state and the Imperial Assemblage at Delhi.

A Howdah is usually a boat shaped seating arrangement for riding on the back of an elephant or camel. This one is built in an Anglo-Indian style by the Simpson & Company in the year 1858. The handles have two tigers seated on the top. The front side has a British insignia on a lion and a horse surmounted by foliage engraved on it. The Howdah stands on four stylized fish shaped legs and is outlined with a supportive metal ring around it.

This is going to be one of the first ‘Signature Pieces’ that you are going to come across at The Grand Trunk Show at the Taj Palace in Mumbai. Come visit. Download your invitation at www.thegreateasternhome.com.

18th century’s erotic sculpture

The liberal representations of amorous couples sculpted on temple walls or monuments in early and medieval India were considered important in terms of the  religious iconography of that era. There are many theories about the reason for the presence of such explicit carvings, of which one plausible reason is to ward off evil. Another school of thought believes that Tantrism may have influenced eroticism in art.

Today, we are featuring a 18^th century sculpture of a divine couple standing in an erotic posture on a pedestal. They are flanked by a stylized plant on their right side and it is sculpted out of black colored wood. Though age has cost the sculpture; it still holds its own as a worthy piece of art.

There is no doubt, of course, that the Indian sculptors exhibit an intensely sensuous awareness of life through their artwork. The spatial positioning and the remarkable detail of the execution of such pieces of art can fill you with wonder. Come visit and have a look at these pieces before they are snapped up.  You can reach us at www.thegreateasternhome.com.

Sculpture of a dancer (18th century)

The art of dancing in our country originated as means of pleasing gods and goddesses. Every step, every movement and gesture is an expression of the spiritual. So powerful, indeed, is the religious motivation that our dance has for long been regarded as a divine art meant to portray only the highest and the purest form of sentiments.

The sculpture displayed above is of a female dancer posing on a pedestal that is double bordered with lotus petals. The lady appears poised with a subtle smile on her face. Her eyebrows are neatly trimmed and there is a decorative halo sculpted behind her head. She is draped in a beautiful garment with decorative folds and heavily dressed with ornaments which include mang-tikka on her forehead, earrings, necklace, armlets, bangles and thick anklets on her feet.

The expressive art form in the later periods also became a favorite form of entertainment in the courts and palaces and thereby formed an integral part of splendorous royalty. Not only were the dancers patronized by the kings, but as an art it was also practiced by ladies belonging to the royal and aristocratic families.

It is an ecstatic feeling for an antiques lover to view an artifact from up close. The Great Eastern Home gives its visitors full freedom to savour each piece in its vast collection for as long as they would like to. You can always reach us at www.thegreateasternhome.com. to plan your visit.

Sculpture of a lady and Shivling (18th century)

Pictured above is a wooden sculpture, in high relief, of a lady worshiping the Shivling placed on a pedestal that is double bordered with lotus leaves. The sculpture may be cracked at some places but a keen eye would tell you much more than that. The ‘lingam’ is a representation of the Hindu deity, Shiva, and is the object of worship in temples. The Shaivaites, especially the women, consider it sacred and visit Shiv temples to perform puja every Monday. This 18^th century sculpture from Rajasthan is one among many gems on display (and available if you’d like to buy it)  at The Great Eastern Home, Byculla showroom. You can always reach us at www.thegreateasternhome.com to plan your visit.

Size of this piece: 36 cms height, 22 cms breadth.

Lord Vishnu’s sculpture (18th century)

Sculpture is a favored medium of artistic expression on the Indian subcontinent. The tradition of Indian sculpture extends from the Indus Valley civilization of 2500 to 1800 BCE. As a record of history, sculpture is extremely valuable for the information it can provide about the development of a culture.

The Great Eastern Home displays an 18^th century Rajasthani sculpture of Lord Vishnu dancing with a damaru (small two-headed drum) in his forearms.  The figure is graceful, slender and has supple limbs; but there is an almost complete suppression of individuality. This is because the figures are conceived of as shapes that are more perfect than anything to be found in the merely transitory appearance of human models. For instance, the multiple heads and arms of Hindu divinities were thought necessary to display the manifold attributes of these gods’ many powers.

The sculpture pictured above has been defaced and damaged with age but is definitely worth a look. We are open 365 days in a year so picking a day to visit us is easy. You may reach us at www.thegreateasternhome.com.

Sculpture of a man & lion (18th century)

The 18th century Rajasthani wooden sculpture pictured above, in high relief, is that of a man seated on a stylized lion. The lion has distinct features like enlarged eyes and an upturned curved tail. It is seen baring its teeth fiercely. The rider seated on the lion is holding its mane and the pedestal below them is decorated with beautiful floral patterns. This is just one of many distinctive sculptures at our store. Seeing it for yourself is much better than just zooming in on the picture. Visiting us is easy, pick just about any day and it could just be ‘the day’ you bought something really awesome! For further details visit www.thegreateasternhome.com.