Important Notice

KARNATAKA/KERALA
18TH CENTURY
Bronze
18.75 in (47.8 cm) high

NON-EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY

PROVENANCE:
From a Distinguished Family Collection, New Delhi

Male performers in the theyyam tradition clad their torso in a breastplate, in addition to elaborate headgear, mask, ankle and arm ornaments and paint to transform themselves into Bhagwati or the Mother Goddess. The present lot is a traditional breastplate sculpted from bronze and is subtly detailed with cobras. Snakes, associated with Shiva, are also considered a symbol of fertility. By taking on the form of the divine, theyyam performers channel the voice and spirit of divinity.

KARNATAKA/KERALA
18TH CENTURY
Bronze
18.75 in (47.8 cm) high

NON-EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY

PROVENANCE:
From a Distinguished Family Collection, New Delhi

Male performers in the theyyam tradition clad their torso in a breastplate, in addition to elaborate headgear, mask, ankle and arm ornaments and paint to transform themselves into Bhagwati or the Mother Goddess. The present lot is a traditional breastplate sculpted from bronze and is subtly detailed with cobras. Snakes, associated with Shiva, are also considered a symbol of fertility. By taking on the form of the divine, theyyam performers channel the voice and spirit of divinity.