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

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.

Among the ritual objects from the collection is a massively sturdy, chalice-shaped temple lamp with a serrated rim [EAX.284], which is said to have come from a Śaiva shrine. Around the cup section appear four figures in high relief, of Gaṇeśa; Hanumān; Bhairava (a fierce aspect of Śiva) with his dog, holding in his hands a drum, a sword, a cup full of blood and a severed head; and the Goddess, carrying in her hands the mace and discus of Viṣṇu and the trident and sword of Śiva; a pair of pāduka (footmarks of Viṣṇu) also appear, with the sun and moon above them.