Gauri

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Gauri is an expression of a tender form of Parvati, the wife and consort of Shiva. In this image, Gauri is represented portrait-like, as if a depiction of a young woman of beauty, not of divinity. Her ‘other’ status is asserted only by the crown she wears, which along with her radiant halo, defines her divine status. In all other respects, she could be mistaken for a young woman prepared for her wedding day. The lower register of the print declares the goddess’s name in devanagari script, along with the name of the press "Ravi Varma Press, Karla-Lonavia", in both English and Hindi. The painting is labelled "Registered No. 95", an attempt at patenting, which proved ineffective in late 19th century India.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art