Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum

A catalogue of the Ashmolean’s collection of Indian art by J. C. Harle and Andrew Topsfield (published Oxford, 1987).

Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum by J. C. Harle and Andrew Topsfield

Publications online: 143 objects

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Figure of Durga slaying the Buffalo-demon

  • Literature notes

    These seven objects belonged to a large collection of brass images, ritual objects, implements, ornaments and toys which was formed by Major (later colonel) C. Eckford Luard in the former Central Indian Agency between 1900 and 1903. Luard served in this area for a number of years as Superintendent of Gazetteer and of Census Operations. He compiled the several volumes of Central Indian State Gazetteers (1907-12), as well as writing other works, including guide-books to Dhar and Mandu and the Dilwara temples at Mount Abu. In later life he lived at Boar’s Hill, Oxford, and part of his collection was presented to the Indian Institute’s museum by his widow in 1936 [see EAOS.108]. Luard’s earlier article describing the collection in the Journal of Indian Art and Industry is still useful in the identification of regional types of such late brass objects, which are otherwise scantily documented.

    Images of gods, as might be expected, formed the larger part of Luard’s collection. Some, like the figure of the Durgā killing the buffalo-demon [EAX.280], adhere loosely to classical canons of iconography [see EAOS.64], while others are in a more janglī (rustic) idiom, such as a seated group of Śiva and Pārvatī with a stylized Nandī at their feet [EAX.283].
  • Details

    Associated place
    AsiaIndiacentral India Madhya Pradesh (place of creation)
    Date
    18th - 19th century (1701 - 1900)
    Material and technique
    brass
    Dimensions
    13.5 x 7.6 x 7.5 cm max. (height x width x depth)
    Material index
    Technique index
    formed cast
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Accession no.
    EAX.280
  • Further reading

    Harle, J. C., and Andrew Topsfield, Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 1987), no. 71a on pp. 61-64, pp. xii & 61, illus. p. 62

Location

    • First floor | Room 32 | India from 600

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum by J. C. Harle and Andrew Topsfield

    Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum

    These seven objects belonged to a large collection of brass images, ritual objects, implements, ornaments and toys which was formed by Major (later colonel) C. Eckford Luard in the former Central Indian Agency between 1900 and 1903. Luard served in this area for a number of years as Superintendent of Gazetteer and of Census Operations. He compiled the several volumes of Central Indian State Gazetteers (1907-12), as well as writing other works, including guide-books to Dhar and Mandu and the Dilwara temples at Mount Abu. In later life he lived at Boar’s Hill, Oxford, and part of his collection was presented to the Indian Institute’s museum by his widow in 1936 [see EAOS.108]. Luard’s earlier article describing the collection in the Journal of Indian Art and Industry is still useful in the identification of regional types of such late brass objects, which are otherwise scantily documented.

    Images of gods, as might be expected, formed the larger part of Luard’s collection. Some, like the figure of the Durgā killing the buffalo-demon [EAX.280], adhere loosely to classical canons of iconography [see EAOS.64], while others are in a more janglī (rustic) idiom, such as a seated group of Śiva and Pārvatī with a stylized Nandī at their feet [EAX.283].
Notice

Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

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