Double-Sided Painted Banner (Paubha) with God Shiva
Nepal
16th-17th century
View the original$24
Type
Size · in
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Materials & printing
Archival matte paper, 189 g/m² (10.3 mil), sourced from Japan, printed with multicolor water-based inkjet so every brushstroke stays crisp. Framed prints arrive ready to hang in a .75″ ayous-wood frame with an acrylite front. Sized to standard frames by cropping, never stretching — at most about 3% comes off one edge, which isn’t noticeable on most pieces, and we only offer a size when it stays that small.
Shipping & returns
Made to order and delivered in 5–8 business days (2–4 to print, 3–4 in transit). US shipping only for now. Because each print is made for your order, all sales are final — but if it arrives damaged or defective, send us a photo within 14 days and we’ll replace it free. Full policy.
Why is it this affordable?
A thin, flat margin on every piece — just enough to keep the store running. Most of what you pay is the print itself. We only sell sizes that reproduce at full quality, and we don’t mark up the large sizes the way most shops do.
About this work
In this dynamic, double-sided painted banner from Nepal, designed to be carried high over the heads of the crowd during a religious festival, the Hindu God Shiva dances on his bull, Nandi, who turns his head upward to look lovingly at his Lord. This may represent Shiva as Nataraja, Lord of Dance, who is often depicted dancing atop his bull in Nepal. The other side depicts Durga, Shiva’s shakti (energy), dancing on a white snow lion.
The remarkably well-preserved painting is enlivened by the bold colors and vibrant textile patterns, the sashes flying out in all directions, and the swag at the top framed by flaring tassels. Large, striking flowers are scattered against the background. In his upper arms Shiva holds his traditional attributes the trident and the rosary (rudrakshamala). He holds a Buddhist stupa (burial mound) in one lower hand—an unusual attribute—while his other forms the vitarka mudra (teaching gesture). That a Hindu deity should hold a Buddhist stupa illustrates the non-sectarian, all-encompassing nature of religious devotion in Nepal.
- Medium
- Pigment and gold on cotton
- Original size
- 95 × 71 cm (37 3/8 × 28 in.)
Museum record · 1 owner · 2 exhibitions
Provenance
- James Singer, London; sold to the Art Institute of Chicago, Oct. 16, 1995.
Exhibitions
- Himalayan Paintings in the Collection of The Art Institute of Chicago, Gallery 140, December 8, 2008-August 24, 2009.
- Himalayan Paintings in the Collection of The Art Institute of Chicago, Gallery 140, August 24, 2009-April 14, 2010.
