Shiva and Parvati

Chokha depicts the deities Shiva and Parvati relaxing against a large round pillow as if they were a ruler and his consort upon a palace terrace. Parvati, markedly smaller than the god, gazes at her husband with her hands raised in the gesture of respect and devotion. Shiva is recognizable through the iconographic attributes of ash-covered skin, third eye, skull necklace, serpents, trident and the Ganges river that emerges from his matted topknot in the form of a stream of water.

ā€¦ Read More

Maker(s)
Artist: Chokha (active 1779-ca. 1826)
Historical period(s)
ca. 1820
Movement
Mewar Court
School
Rajput School
Medium
Opaque watercolor and gold on fiber board
Dimensions
H x W: 20 x 17.8 cm (7 7/8 x 7 in)
Geography
India, Mewar, Rajasthan state, Udaipur or Devgarh
Credit Line
Gift of Sir Howard Hodgkin
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F2001.11
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Painting
Type

Painting

Keywords
India, Parvati, river, Shiva, skull, snake, trident
Provenance

To 2001
Sir Howard Hodgkins (born 1932), London, to 2001 [1]

From 2001
Freer Gallery of Art, given by Sir Howard Hodgkin in 2001

Notes:

[1] The object was probably acquired when Sir Howard Hodgkins formed his London collection in the 1960s, but the exact date of acquisition cannot be determined. However, because the object is a small, unfinished work from the early nineteenth century, it falls within a category of artworks that the Indian government typically allows out of the country (according to Curatorial Note 3, Debra Diamond, June 15, 2001, in the object record).

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Sir Howard Hodgkin 1932-2017

Description

Chokha depicts the deities Shiva and Parvati relaxing against a large round pillow as if they were a ruler and his consort upon a palace terrace. Parvati, markedly smaller than the god, gazes at her husband with her hands raised in the gesture of respect and devotion. Shiva is recognizable through the iconographic attributes of ash-covered skin, third eye, skull necklace, serpents, trident and the Ganges river that emerges from his matted topknot in the form of a stream of water.

Marking(s)

1. (Martha Smith, 5/3/01) Watermark: S Wise & Co. 1825

Collection Area(s)
South Asian and Himalayan Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use