Bhuta mask of the deity Panjurli

The mask depicts the head of a boar with an elaborate headdress and earrings. The headdress is decorated with rows of cobra heads. The earrings on the mask are also decorated with cobra heads and additionally, on one, a human figure, and on the other, an elephant head. Two of the cobra heads each has hanging from it a small heart-shaped pendant with a bead at the end.

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Historical period(s)
early 20th century
Medium
Brass
Dimensions
H x W x D: 35.9 x 45.3 x 25.7 cm (14 1/8 x 17 13/16 x 10 1/8 in)
Geography
India, Kanara
Credit Line
Gift of Dr. Siddharth K. Bhansali
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S1999.7
On View Location
Sackler Gallery 22a: The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas
Classification(s)
Mask, Metalwork
Type

Mask

Keywords
boar, cobra, India
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

The mask depicts the head of a boar with an elaborate headdress and earrings. The headdress is decorated with rows of cobra heads. The earrings on the mask are also decorated with cobra heads and additionally, on one, a human figure, and on the other, an elephant head. Two of the cobra heads each has hanging from it a small heart-shaped pendant with a bead at the end.

Collection Area(s)
South Asian and Himalayan Art
Web Resources
Whistler's Neighborhood
Google Cultural Institute
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