The Hindu Holy Family

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The Hindu Holy Family

Artist Punjab Hills, Kangra School (Indian)

Place of OriginIndia

Dateabout 1820

DimensionsH: 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm); W: 8 3/4 in. (22.3 cm)

MediumOpaque watercolor and gold on paper.

ClassificationDrawings

Credit LineGift of Mrs. C. Lockhart McKelvy, by exchange

Object number

2007.34

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Label TextLove, a popular theme of the Indian Kangra School of painting, is displayed here through the depiction of the familial relationship between powerful Hindu deity Shiva and his wife and children. The Kangra region, located in the foothills of the Himalayas, was the center for a group of miniaturists known for lyrical views of mountain landscapes, as exemplified here by a backdrop of colorfully-variegated peaks. Shiva stands at the center of the composition holding his elephant-headed son Ganesha, who carries a walking stick as the family travels toward their home at Mt. Kailasa. Shiva lovingly glances back at his wife, Parvati, who carries their other son, Karttikeya, with his multiple heads rested on her shoulder. Accompanying the family are the white bull Nandi, Shiva’s sacred vehicle, and the monkey soldier Hanuman, who carries Shiva’s trident. Alone in their majestic surroundings, this group of revered figures is glimpsed in an intimate moment of companionship.