Indian. Devotions to Nagadevata, ca. 1790. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 11 3/16 x 8 1/16 in. (28.4 x 20.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Anonymous gift, 79.186.2 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 79.186.2_IMLS_PS4.jpg)
Indian. Devotions to Nagadevata, ca. 1790. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 11 3/16 x 8 1/16 in. (28.4 x 20.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Anonymous gift, 79.186.2 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 79.186.2_bw_IMLS.jpg)
Devotions to Nagadevata
Asian Art
This unusual painting shows a group of individuals—human, divine, and semi-divine—worshipping a snake deity, or naga (with multiple cobra heads), in a temple setting. Indians of various religious affiliations have worshipped snakes since ancient times: poisonous, but helpful because they eat rodents, serpents are thought to have close ties to the earth and the underworld and are therefore believed to deserve reverence. The multi-headed, white-skinned figure at the left is the Hindu god Shiva. The horse-headed musician at the right is a kinnara, or celestial entertainer. The snake-god’s two wives, with human bodies and snake tails, appear at the right.
CULTURE
Indian
MEDIUM
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
DATES
ca. 1790
DIMENSIONS
sheet: 11 3/16 x 8 1/16 in. (28.4 x 20.5 cm)
image: 8 1/8 x 5 1/4 in. (20.6 x 13.3 cm) (show scale)
COLLECTIONS
Asian Art
ACCESSION NUMBER
79.186.2
CREDIT LINE
Anonymous gift
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Indian. Devotions to Nagadevata, ca. 1790. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 11 3/16 x 8 1/16 in. (28.4 x 20.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Anonymous gift, 79.186.2 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 79.186.2_IMLS_PS4.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 79.186.2_IMLS_PS4.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2010
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