A chromolithograph diptych published by the Calcutta Art Studio around 1885 to 1895, part of a set of five sheets depicting the Ten Mahavidyas, two goddesses to a sheet, labelled in Bengali and English. The left field shows Dhumavati as an aged widow, in ragged clothing with unbound, dishevelled hair, holding a winnowing fan and riding in a carriage with a crow perched nearby, her form associated with inauspicious and marginal things and, paradoxically, with rescue from trouble and the defeat of enemies. The right field shows Matangi, a beautiful dark-complexioned woman with long wavy hair seated before a curtained balcony, holding a goad, sword, club and noose, with a tambura resting near her, an attribute alluding to her role as a tantric form of Sarasvati, goddess of music, speech and learning. Impressions of this print survive in more than one museum collection, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Facts
Subject Matter
Depicted SubjectDhumavati (left field) and Matangi (right field), two of the Ten Mahavidyas. 2 Custody
Current LocationThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (this atlas's primary record); a second impression is held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 2 Current CustodianThe Metropolitan Museum of Art 2 Physical Form
Dimensions30.5 by 40.3 cm (impression at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) 1 Rights and Reproduction
Reproduction and CopyrightThis atlas describes and cites the print rather than reproducing an image of it. 2 Classification
Object TypePrint (Engraving, Etching, Woodcut or Lithograph) 1 Medium (class) Connections
Associated With
This source names Bengali directly: "two goddesses to a sheet, labelled in Bengali and English."
Source Dhumavati/Matangi, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Boston, Cities This source names Boston directly: "of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston."
Source Dhumavati/Matangi, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Belongs to Tradition
Derived: this work depicts a figure already recorded as belonging to this tradition; the work-to-tradition link is inferred from that live depicts edge and the figures own attested tradition affiliation, not independently sourced beyond it.
Depicts
Source Dhumavati/Matangi, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Source Dhumavati/Matangi, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Originated In
India, Regions Source Dhumavati/Matangi, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Sources
1. Dhumavati/Matangi, Museum of Fine Arts Boston (Accession 2017.3941)
Museum of Fine Arts, Bostoncatalogue record, medium/object-type descriptionQuote, catalogue record, medium/object-type description
A chromolithograph diptych published by the Calcutta Art Studio around 1885 to 1895, part of a set of five sheets depicting the Ten Mahavidyas, two goddesses to a sheet, labelled in Bengali and English.
2. Dhumavati/Matangi, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of ArtOriginated In: India, Stored country property on this entity, cited to this source: IndiaView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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