Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Devi
(India, Nepal, and Tibet)
Inside a Hindu shrine or temple, worshipers gaze into the eyes of Devi, the Great Goddess. Her mouth curving in a delicate smile, Devi gazes back down at them through enormous, almond-shaped eyes. By offering herself for "darshan"—a sacred gaze exchanged with the deity during worship—she bestows her blessings on the faithful, who, by the act of focused looking, have made themselves receptive to this transfer of divine grace.
Revered from the soaring Himalayan mountains in the north to the southernmost tip of India, Devi is the force that animates all living things. Her power manifests itself in every aspect of the natural world, including trees, water, and rocks. Devi also vitalizes believers, strengthening their hearts during times of adversity.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
Doris Wiener, New York; purchased by John and Berthe Ford, Baltimore, 1969; given to Walters Art Museum, 2003.
Exhibitions
| 2001-2003 | Desire and Devotion: Art from India, Nepal, and Tibet in the John and Berthe Ford Collection. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara; Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque; Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham; Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong. |
Geographies
India, Madhya Pradesh (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 44 x W: 18 x D: 10 1/2 in. (111.8 x 45.7 x 26.7 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of John and Berthe Ford, 2003
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
25.246