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The Goddess Matangi

Asian Art

In this painting, the many-armed goddess Durga rides in the center on her tiger, while her even fiercer incarnation, Matangi, is shown at the upper left holding a severed head and a sword. Along with Kali, they are among the ten fearsome forms of female divinity known as Mahavidyas. By picturing overlapping avatars, paintings such as this one indicate the fluid interrelation of a variety of goddess forms. This plurality also allows various social groups to identify with female divinity through their preferred avatar. For example, Matangi, a marginal figure in the pantheon, has often been associated with worship among lower castes.

—CG
CULTURE Indian
MEDIUM Opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper
  • Place Made: Rajasthan, India
  • DATES ca. 1760
    DIMENSIONS sheet: 11 1/4 x 16 1/2 in. (28.6 x 41.9 cm) image: 10 1/2 x 15 7/8 in. (26.7 x 40.3 cm)  (show scale)
    INSCRIPTIONS Recto, at top, in Braj, in black ink, in Devanagari script: The fair, two-armed form of Sri Matangi ji. In one hand, the head of Mahesha, in [the other] hand, Mahesha's sword...(You are) blazing on your subjects, who bow to you. (Trans. S. Mitra); left, over image of goddess, in blace ink, in Devanagari script: Matangi.
    COLLECTIONS Asian Art
    ACCESSION NUMBER 84.201.9
    CREDIT LINE Anonymous gift
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Indian. The Goddess Matangi, ca. 1760. Opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper, sheet: 11 1/4 x 16 1/2 in. (28.6 x 41.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Anonymous gift, 84.201.9 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 84.201.9_IMLS_SL2.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 84.201.9_IMLS_SL2.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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