A peek at Harvard Art Museums’ South Asia collection

This week, Rachel Parikh (@rachel.parikh), the Calderwood Curatorial Fellow of South Asian Art at Harvard Art Museums took over SAI’s Instagram account (@HarvardSAI) to highlight some of the museum’s amazing South Asian Art collection. Rachel specializes in South Asian manuscript painting and arms and armor from the sixteenth through nineteenth century.

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Hi everyone! My name is Rachel and I am the Calderwood Curatorial Fellow of South Asian Art at Harvard Art Museums (@harvardartmuseums). I am researching and cataloguing the HAM’s incredible collection of South Asian works on paper from the sixteenth through nineteenth century. I will be taking over SAI’s account for the next few days, posting some highlights from our amazing collection. For more, you can follow me at @rachel.parikh. Very excited to be here! #indianart #art #harvardartmuseums #artsed

A photo posted by Harvard South Asia Institute (@harvardsai) on Nov 7, 2016 at 6:24am PST

@harvardartmuseums has one of the most significant collection of drawings and paintings from Rajasthan, particularly, Kota, in the country – and it is all accessible! You can schedule an appointment on HAM’s website to see this collection and all of our other South Asian material (approximately 1100 works on paper) in our Art Study Room! Attributed to the Kota Master, Rajasthan, Kota, c. 1735, black ink and opaque watercolor over charcoal under-drawing on paper. 1999.285 — @rachel.parikh #harvardartmuseums #india #rajasthan #drawing #lion #indianart #art #artsed #harvard A photo posted by Harvard South Asia Institute (@harvardsai) on Nov 7, 2016 at 12:42pm PST

Prepping to install a small gallery installation, “Sovereign and Saint: Enlightened Encounters between the Mughals and Holy Men” – which is now up @harvardartmuseums! A lot of thought goes into preparing an installation or exhibition, no matter how small. We have to think about layout and placement of the art and the explanatory text (chats), spacing, lighting (especially if the material is light sensitive, like works on paper), mounting, and conservation. It takes a group of talented people to make this all happen! –@rachel.parikh #harvardartmuseums #India #Mughal #painting #installation #behindthescenes #indianart #art #artsed #harvard

A photo posted by Harvard South Asia Institute (@harvardsai) on Nov 8, 2016 at 6:49am PST

One of my favorite pieces in @harvardartmuseums South Asian collection – this is an incense burner in the form of a yali, a mythical lion-like creature of Hindu mythology. Placed within the yali’s hollow body, burning incense would have been covered by a back lid, forcing the perfumed smoke to exit through the open mouth and the holes ringing the chest like a necklace. Deccan, 15th century, cast bronze. 1964.44. It’s on view in our South Asian gallery (room 2590)! –@rachel.parikh #harvardartmuseums #India #lion #indianart #art #artsed #harvard A photo posted by Harvard South Asia Institute (@harvardsai) on Nov 8, 2016 at 11:48am PST

@harvardartmuseums has one of the most impressive collections of drawings and paintings from the Pahari School, which was active between the 17th and 19th century and originated from the Himalayan hill kingdoms of northern India. The most active centers were Kangra, Guler, Nurpur, Chamba, Mani, and Garwhal. I love this detail of a nayika (heroine) applying a bindi or tilaka to her forehead. Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, c. 1800, opaque watercolor and gold on paper. 1960.42 –@rachel.parikh #harvardartmuseums #India #Pahari #painting #indianart #art #artsed #harvard

A photo posted by Harvard South Asia Institute (@harvardsai) on Nov 9, 2016 at 7:18am PST

Further to my previous post, here is a detail from another stunning Pahari School work from @harvardartmuseums, depicting a Chitrini Nayika, or a heroine (nayika) that excels in music, dance, poetry, and sport. Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, c. 1780, opaque watercolor and gold on paper. 1971.127 –@rachel.parikh #harvardartmuseums #India #Pahari #painting #art #indianart #art #artsed #harvard A photo posted by Harvard South Asia Institute (@harvardsai) on Nov 9, 2016 at 11:48am PST

Although it suffers from some losses, I love this sweet image of Krishna asking for the moon. According to one legend, the infant Krishna points to the moon and asks his mother, Yashoda, what it was. She responds, “The moon, it is the toy of God”. Hearing the word “toy”, Krishna demanded it and could not be consoled. One of Yashoda’s maids, ingeniously thinks of placing a mirror on the ground, bringing the moon to Krishna. Himachal Pradesh, 18th century, opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper. 1972.68. You can see this and so many other wonderful South Asian pieces @harvardartmuseums by visiting our gallery (Room 2590) or making an appointment in the Art Study Center. — @rachel.parikh #harvardartmuseums #India #painting #Krishna #moon #indianart #art #artsed #harvard

A photo posted by Harvard South Asia Institute (@harvardsai) on Nov 10, 2016 at 8:32am PST

One of the earliest works in @harvardartmuseums South Asian drawings and paintings collection is this folio from a Durgasaptashati (Seven Hundred Couplets in Praise of Durga) which depicts the Hindu goddess Durga battling demons. Bengal, c. 1500, opaque watercolor on paper. 1995.64. — @rachel.parikh #harvardartmuseums #India #painting #durga #indianart #art #artsed #harvard A photo posted by Harvard South Asia Institute (@harvardsai) on Nov 10, 2016 at 12:44pm PST