Tanjore painting with colors and gold. South India, approx. 19th to early 20th cent.
A canopy is depicted here on four columns in vibrant colors, under which the South Indian saint Nammalvar is seated on a coiled naga, however in the appearance of a Vishnu. Nammalvar shows his typical hand position for granting protection combined with teaching and holds the book in the other hand. Nammalvar is one of the most famous saints, who compiled and composed the sacred texts for adoration of the god Vishnu. Here he is depicted as this god, with crown kiritamukuta and under the umbrella of the five-headed cobra. Beside him are two worshippers. Nice impressively depicted faces, traditional folk painting in good condition, mounted on wood and on reverse in handwriting signed with “Namalra".
SIZE 38,3 x 33,2 CM
From an old German private collection
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