India occupies most of South Asia and is the most populous country with 1/6th of the world’s population comprised of hundreds of ethnic groups and languages. It is primarily Hindu with smaller Buddhist, Jain and Christian populations. Indian cultural, spiritual and folk-art traditions are reflected in all aspects of life: art, carvings, pottery, ritual items, metalware, furniture, accessories, toys and dolls as well as jewelry and textiles.The Indian government has actively tried to preserve its folk-art traditions by supporting artisans, materials and techniques passed on through generations.
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Metal oil lamps (diyas) made for deities in Hinduism are recognized by distinct designs, symbols or figures which identify specific deities to devotees wish to offer their prayers used in homes and temples for daily prayers (puja). This heavy brass antique votive from India is a Vishnu diya with a shallow yoni shaped cup, short…
Antique copper based alloy bronze and brass vessels, figures, religious and functional items objects have long been the specialty of East Indian Dhorka Damar tribes metalsmiths who continue to use the same lost wax technique of metal casting used for over 4000 years. It is extremely labor intensive and time consuming process. Their folk art…
Antique copper-based alloy bronze and brass vessels, figures, religious and functional items objects have long been the specialty of East Indian Dhorka Damar tribes metal smiths who continue to use the same lost wax technique of metal casting used for over 4000 years, and extremely labor intensive and time consuming process. Their folk-art style of…
Antique copper-based alloy bronze and brass vessels, figures, religious and functional items objects have long been the specialty of East Indian Dhorka Damar tribes metal smiths who continue to use the same lost wax technique of metal casting used for over 4000 years, and extremely labor intensive and time consuming process. Their folk-art style of…
Antique copper based alloy bronze and brass vessels, figures, religious and functional items objects have long been the specialty of East Indian Dhorka Damar tribes metal smiths who continue to use the same lost wax technique of metal casting used for over 4000 years It is an extremely labor intensive and time consuming process. Their…
Antique copper-based alloy bronze and brass vessels, figures, religious and functional items objects have long been the specialty of East Indian Dhorka Damar tribes metal smiths who continue to use the same lost wax technique of metal casting used for over 4000 years, and extremely labor intensive and time consuming process. Their folk-art style of…
Most Hindus have images of one or more murtis (gods and goddesses) on their home altar to help them in their daily prayers (puja), focus their attention and help visualize them. A murti is treated with the utmost respect, care and reverence but devotees never worship the objects and instead use them used only to…
Peacocks have a long and glorious history in India. They are part of Hindu epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata and the Rigveda, India’s oldest sacred Sanskrit text. A Sanskrit verse claims “The gorgeous peacock is the glory of God.” Peacocks are intertwined with many Hindu deities: they are the vehicles (vahana) of Kartikeya the…
This framed glass folk-art painting of Krishna, the Hindu god of compassion, protection and love, was once inset as a front panel along with the Peacock Panel (3983MCE) in a decorative antique Indian cabinet or chest. In Hinduism when the world is threatened with evil, chaos or destructive forces, Vishnu descends to earth as one…
A belief in Hinduism is that the light and heat produced by an oil lamp and incense burner aid devotees to access the divine and to focus their attention and awareness on the images of the deities (murti) and their positive powers. Using them with fellow devotees in combination with the arati ritual (moving a…
This special and important carving of Joseph with the Christ child from Kerala reflects a blend of Portuguese and European traditions with the indigenous traditions of South India. Christian missionaries built churches in Kerala from 1510 (St. Francis Church in Kochi) through the18th century and brought with them European carvings, paintings, and other large and…
Nagaland conch shell ear covers are worn by men and attached to their pierced ears through a hole in the shell using thin natural fiber strings with glass, wood or bamboo bead stoppers. They are usually decorated with one of two stippled (engraved, marked with black dots) images: an abstraction of curved buffalo horns with…
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