Lot 98: An Indian Tantric Ritual Diagram Depicting a Protective...
0 views
An Indian Tantric Ritual Diagram Depicting a Protective Deity, India or Nepal, 19th-20th Century.
A striking Hindu Tantric ritual painting on cloth, depicting a frontal standing deity rendered in bold, stylised form. The figure is crowned and haloed, with prominent almond-shaped eyes and elaborate jewellery, framed by radiating flame-like motifs above the head. The body is structured around a central vertical axis filled with compartmentalised registers containing miniature shrine motifs, sacred symbols, and inscribed mantras.
The torso and lower garment are articulated in a distinctive black-and-cream chequered pattern, contrasting with vivid red textile-like panels at the hips. Surrounding the figure are handwritten inscriptions in Devanagari script, likely enumerating ritual formulae, invocations, or astrological calculations. The lower border also bears additional script, reinforcing its ritual and devotional function.
Approximately 82 x 63cm
Provenance: Private collection from a distinguished British gentleman.
Share this lot: