'Hindu' stamp--correction

[jkirk]

Typo--- The general style of the picture strikes me as 10th-early 20th c,
should read 19th-early 20thc
Sorry
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "jkirk" <jkirk at SPRO.NET>
To: <INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk>
Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 9:17 AM
Subject: Re: 'Hindu' stamp


> If this painting is in a Mumbai gallery, does it not suggest that it was 
> painted in India by an Indian artist? My guess (it's only that)  is that 
> it was painted by a Christian artist,
> perhaps wanting to indicate conversion, or just wanting to show the holy 
> family as Indians.  I wonder why the Royal Mail never gave the artist's 
> name. Knowing the name would allow for a more persuasive "reading" of this 
> picture. Presumably it was signed, but then perhaps it was not.
>
> The tilak on the man's forehead could be a slim version of a Vaisnava mark 
> in that it's vertical, but very attenuated and not typical. (Strikes me as 
> an artist's fancy.) (It's certainly not a full fledged Vaisnava tilak 
> mark). The general style of the picture strikes me as 10th-early 20th c, 
> along the lines of Chughtai or the Bengal School.
>
> The Virgin and Child (no tilaks) were represented in 16th c and later 
> Mughal art and interior decoration (ceiling paintings). These 
> representations were inspired by the importation of holy family pictures 
> by missionaries from Europe, some of whom made
> it to the court of Akbar and also to later courts. That tilaks were 
> applied in this case is a weird feature, considering the general run of 
> such depictions in India. It might have merely been an idiosyncrasy of the 
> artist.
>
> An interesting mystery unless someone comes forward with the artist's name 
> and the name of the gallery, where some record giving provenance might be 
> available.
>
> Here you can see a Vaisnava tilak photo and a bit about the mark
> http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/sects/vaishnavism.htm
> Here a Shaivite tilaka mark and discussion
> http://www.sripremananda.org/english/e1_swami/e1d_mahashivaratri/e1d_vibhuti_002.htm
>
> Generally speaking, Vaisnava marks are two verticals, often in a V shape, 
> and Shaiva marks are three horizontal lines. Sorry I don't know of any 
> specific scholarly study of these.
> Joanna Kirkpatrick