The statue represents Lord Vishnu’s robust figure with a meditative frame of mind : the outward vastness and the inner depth combined, as enshrining the ‘prabhavali’, the symbolic form of the sanctum, and thereby, of the cosmos. Lotus, which Lord Vishnu has as his seat, and which Lakshmi : goddess of prosperity, fertility and abundance, holds in her hand and thus covers by her benevolence, is only the other symbol of cosmos. With such symbolic breadth, far more than mere portrayal of the divine couple, the artifact might be seen as representing Lakshmi’s benevolence and Vishnu’s desire to protect and preserve and pervading the cosmos.

Its mystique and symbolic breadth apart, the sculpted forms of the divine couple are simple. The four-armed figure of Lord Vishnu has been represented as seated in ‘lalitasana’, the posture of sitting with right leg laid suspending down the podium level, and the left, lying horizontally along the floor of the seat. He has on his forehead the mark of Vaishnava ‘tilaka’, on his head a tall crown, typical to his icons, and behind it a halo of moderate size. Of his four arms only two on the right are fully visible, while those on the left, only partially. In the upper one of those on the right he is carrying ‘chakra’ – disc, while in that on the left, ‘shankha’ – conch, his essential attributes. Represented in highly stylised forms, both, ‘chakra’ and ‘shankha’ reveal another set of symbols, ‘chakra’ also assimilating a form of ‘padma’ – lotus, and ‘shankha’, that of the ‘pasha’ – noose, Lord Vishnu’s other attributes. By his normal or lower right hand he is imparting ‘abhaya’ – freedom from fear, while by its counterpart on the left he is supporting Lakshmi and clinging her close to his bosom. Thus, if anything of the essential attributes of his iconography, mace alone is missing.

As texts and iconographic traditions provided, Lakshmi has been represented as seated on Vishnu’s left thigh. She has been conceived with normal two arms, a composure defining both, her figure and mind, well moulded breasts, narrow waist, recessed belly and heavy hips. She is holding a lotus in her right hand, while the left has been let loose, symbolic of release or deliverance, which in her case, besides denoting her power to absolve from the cycle of birth and death, is suggestive of her absolute submission, a state of being she attains by releasing her mind from ego. She is also putting on a towering crown identical to Vishnu’s, though the halo is missing. Both figures are ornamented almost alike and have been conceived with alike sharp features, large eyes in meditative trance, broad foreheads and round faces. Though elegantly designed with bands and pleats, like Vishnu, an ‘antariya’ alone, is Lakshmi’s wear; however, while Vishnu’s has a breadth down to ankle, her ‘antariya’ has greater breadth descending down to the feet level.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.

Free Shipping. Delivered by to all international destinations within 3 to 5 days, fully insured.

Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder. A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.

2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.

3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.

4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.