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78<br />
A PICCHVAI <strong>OF</strong> ANNAKUTA (FESTIVAL <strong>OF</strong><br />
FIFTY-SIX <strong>OF</strong>FERINGS)<br />
NATHDWARA, RAJASTHAN, NORTH <strong>INDIA</strong>, MID<br />
19TH CENTURY<br />
Opaque pigments on cotton panel, the idol of Shri<br />
Nathji standing in the centre, fanked by smaller fgures<br />
of the deity, worshippers to either side, under a pavilion<br />
topped with billowing fags, the sky speckled with silver<br />
stars, the long borders decorated with images of Shri<br />
Nathji, bordered with a foral garland<br />
99º x 68in. (252.2 x 172.7cm.)<br />
£8,000-10,000 $12,000-14,000<br />
€10,000-12,000<br />
This colourful picchvai is a classic and fne example<br />
of the Nathdwara school. It depicts the sanctum<br />
of the Shri Nathji temple in Nathdwara, during the<br />
festival of Annakuta held in October/November. It<br />
commemorates the ofering by the villagers of Vraj<br />
of their harvest to mount Govardhan, as suggested<br />
by Krishna. Annakuta is the largest annual festival,<br />
with pilgrims bringing the result of their harvest to<br />
the temple. A mountain of rice is presented to Shri<br />
Nathji, visible here at his feet, with other oferings in<br />
bowls. Women wearing colourful veils are kneeling<br />
at either side of the icon. Vallabhacharya, the founder<br />
of the Pushti Marg sect is seen standing to the left<br />
whilst other forms of the god are depicted in small<br />
cartouches around him. For a similar hanging and<br />
a short discussion on its style and meaning, see<br />
Landscapes of the Gods, Picchvais and Miniatures<br />
from the Gujral and other Private Collections, Prahlad<br />
Bubbar, 2013, cat. 9.<br />
79<br />
A LARGE AND FINE BROCADE PANEL<br />
BENARES, NORTH <strong>INDIA</strong>, LATE 19TH CENTURY<br />
Of rectangular form, fnely woven with a lattice of<br />
gold palmettes over deep blue ground, a central panel<br />
marked with pink borders to be used as a backdrop for<br />
an icon of Krishna, pink borders decorated with a dense<br />
lattice of gold palmettes<br />
69 x 105in. (175.3 x 266.7cm.)<br />
£3,000-5,000 $4,300-7,100<br />
€3,800-6,200<br />
This large brocade was most likely a part of a larger<br />
set of temple furnishing composed of a matching<br />
throne and steps covers, canopy and pichvvais<br />
composing the winter adornments of a shrine<br />
dedicated to Shri Nathji. For a discussion on the<br />
deity’s rituals and adornments, including comparable<br />
and similar brocade see M. Ghose, Gates of the Lord,<br />
Tradition of Krishna Paintings, New Haven, 2015,<br />
pp. 128-136, cat.62, 65-70.<br />
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