AN ARCHITECTURAL BRACKET DEPICTING A MOTHER GODDESS,... Lot n° 301

AN ARCHITECTURAL BRACKET DEPICTING A MOTHER GODDESS, GUJARAT, 18TH-19TH CENTURY Western India. Carved an ploychromed wood. Dressed in flowing robes and adorned with two bell chains, a sash around her shoulders, holding a disc shaped instrument in her right hand, with wings stretched back, and four children playing at her back, the face with almond shaped eyes and surmounted by a crown, flanked by pendulous earrings, and painted in polychrome pigments. Provenance: A private collection in Vienna, Austria, acquired c. 1990-1995 in the local trade. Condition: Extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion, natural age cracks, splits, losses, few nicks, and old repairs. Weight: 9.5 kg Dimensions: Height 82 cm Wood carving is the ancestral occupation of the Hindu Suthar community and is practiced in the districts of Patan and Ahmedabad. The legacy of exquisite wood carving is visible in the traditional havelis (mansions) in all districts of Gujarat, the earliest of which date back to the 16th century. Haveli structures from Patan are characterized by their eclectic use of geometric or floral patterns as well as motifs inspired by European and West Asian decorative elements on the woodwork of the balconies and ceilings. Whereas, the wooden architecture of Ahmedabad, acquires its distinctive aesthetic through the use of patterns borrowed from block printing and textiles. Literature comparison: Compare a related polychrome wood sculpture of a goddess, dated 17th century, Gujarat, 90 cm high, in the Museum Rietberg, inventory number RVI 401.