Kamalasana Saraswati Enshrining Prabhavali

$1880
Item Code: RY79
Specifications:
South Indian Temple Wood Carving
Height: 36 inch
Width: 23.2 inch
Depth: 5.5 inch
Weight: 18.80 kg
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
Shipped to 153 countries
Shipped to 153 countries
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
As befits the goddess of learning, arts and music, this image of Saraswati, serene and sublime dwelling deep within her, abounds in unique lustre, great magnificence, divine aura and profound mysticism, and to this the deity’s body-colour immensely contributes. Contrary to the usual perception in regard to her complexion acclaimed as white or golden, this statue has been endowed with a darker tint : brown or blackish brown. Not an artistic fancy, a number of texts acclaim her as black complexioned – 'Shyama-varna'. The Buddhists have Shyama – Black, Tara : Saraswati’s Buddhist transform, and Jains, Shyama – Black, Saraswati. In entire South, and more particularly in Andhra, her devotees worship her in her ‘Shyama-varna’ manifestation. Wood, stone or bronze, they prefer worshipping her images in deep black or at least in blackish brown. They revere Saraswati as the manifestation of 'Prakriti', the female creative energy of the cosmos. They contend that ‘Prakriti’ is a blend of white, the colour of ‘Sattva', red, the colour of Rajas, and black, the colour of Tamas. When blended, they turn into black. Thus, cosmos, thereby Prakriti, and Saraswati by manifesting Prakriti, are essentially black.

This wood-statue represents the four-armed goddess as playing with two of her hands on ‘vina’, a stringed musical instrument now long associated with her iconography and has almost rigidified as her exclusive attribute. Her fingers seem to move along the strings of the instrument and there emerges on her face the ‘bhava’ – sentiment, perfectly corresponding to its notes. In her other two hands, the right upper and lower left, she is carrying a rosary and a book – manuscript, symbolic of the Vedas. Saraswati whose forms almost exploded subsequently in various theological traditions, Buddhist, Jain and Brahmanical, was one of the two significant deities, the other being Lakshmi, to have a place in the Rig-Veda. In the Rig-Vedic Suktas Lakshmi has been hailed as Shri, and Saraswati, as Vak. The text that the goddess carries in her hand is symbolic of her same Vedic links, as also of her links with Brahma, her consort, who is acclaimed to have written Vedas.

Most of Saraswati’s contemporary images are goose-riding, or at least with an icon of goose around. This, however, was not the Puranic perception of her image. Puranas perceived Saraswati as lotus-seated, the same as Lakshmi, and as possessing four arms carrying in them a 'japamala' – rosary, ‘pustaka’ – book, and in other two, lotuses. 'Asina kamala karairjjapabatim padmadhyam pustakam bivrana', that is, she sits on a lotus, carries in one hand a rosary, in two of them, lotuses, and in the fourth, a book, was the Puranic vision of Saraswati. Subsequently, lotus, an attribute more akin to Lakshmi’s iconography so much so that she was often called ‘Lotus-goddess, completely shifted to Lakshmi’s domain and in Saraswati’s iconography a ‘vina’ alternated it. This statue of the goddess adheres to this classical perception of Saraswati’s image except that the ‘vina’ alternates lotuses. Not merely that she is seated on a lotus or the lotus-seat has been installed on a lotus pedestal, even the Prabhavali that she pervades by her presence consists of lotus motifs. As portrays this wood-carving, the goddess, fully absorbed, is playing on her 'vina'. She is possessed of timeless youth and luminous beauty as define terms like 'parama jyotirupa' or 'jyotiswarupa'. Though it shall sanctify by its divinity any sanctum, the statue seems to have been conceived primarily for aesthetic delight. Her slightly elongated face with a chin striving to discover its form, half shut eyes, arched eyebrows, sensuous lips, temptingly modeled breasts which the Atharva Veda perceived as the river of life-giving milk with endless flow, long arms with broad shoulders, subdued belly, besides her ornaments, towering crown and large 'karnaphools' – ear-rings consisting of floral motifs, and the ‘antariya’, all attribute to her figure rare beauty. In anatomical proportions, facial features and over-all modeling the statue is simply unique. The beauty of her form is further multiplied by the rhythm that her sitting posture, known as ‘lalitasana’, creates. She has around her face a divine aura and a sense of unique quiescence.

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.

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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How to care for Wood Statues?


Wood is extensively used in sculpting especially in countries like China, Germany, and Japan. One feature that makes the wood extremely suitable for making statues and sculptures is that it is light and can take very fine detail. It is easier for artists to work with wood than with other materials such as metal or stone. Both hardwoods, as well as softwood, are used for making sculptures. Wood is mainly used for indoor sculptures because it is not as durable as stone. Changes in weather cause wooden sculptures to split or be attacked by insects or fungus. The principal woods for making sculptures and statues are cedar, pine, walnut, oak, and mahogany. The most common technique that sculptors use to make sculptures out of wood is carving with a chisel and a mallet. Since wooden statues are prone to damage, fire, and rot, they require proper care and maintenance.

 

  • Wood tends to expand and contract even after it has been processed, thus it is always recommended to keep the wooden sculptures in rooms with little humidity. Excess moisture can harm your masterpiece.

 

  • Periodical dusting of the finished piece is necessary to maintain its beauty as dust accumulation on the surface takes away the shine of the sculpture. You can use a clean and soft cloth or a hairbrush for this purpose.

 

  • You must avoid applying any chemical-based solutions that may damage the wood from the inside. Instead, you can apply lemon oil or coconut oil using a cotton rag to the sculpture to bring out its natural shine. Lemon oil also helps to clean any stains on the sculpture.

 

  • Applying a layer of beeswax protects the wood from sun damage and hides even the smallest imperfections on the wood.

 

It is extremely important to preserve and protect wooden sculptures with proper care. A little carelessness and negligence can lead to their decay, resulting in losing all their beauty and strength. Therefore, a regular clean-up of the sculptures is a must to prolong their age and to maintain their shine and luster. 

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