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| The principal subject is a woman, who has the characteristic features of a ], with ash-colored skin and top-knotted hair. She is wearing a red '']'', with a golden ] and gold jewelry.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Goswamy |first=B. N. |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/The_Spirit_of_Indian_Painting/1-rfrQEACAAJ?hl=en |title=The Spirit of Indian Painting: Close Encounters with 101 Great Works, 1100-1900 |date=2014 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-670-08657-3 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Goswamy |first=B. N. |author-link=B. N. Goswamy |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Ruminations/2TgxEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Yogini+with+a+Mynah+Bird&pg=PT315&printsec=frontcover |title=Ruminations: 101 & more short essays on the spirit of Indian art |date= |publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited |isbn=978-93-6790-887-7 |language=en}}</ref> A ] bird is perched upon her right hand.<ref name=":1" /> | The principal subject is a woman, who has the characteristic features of a ], with ash-colored skin and top-knotted hair. She is wearing a red '']'', with a golden ] and gold jewelry.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Goswamy |first=B. N. |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/The_Spirit_of_Indian_Painting/1-rfrQEACAAJ?hl=en |title=The Spirit of Indian Painting: Close Encounters with 101 Great Works, 1100-1900 |date=2014 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-670-08657-3 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Goswamy |first=B. N. |author-link=B. N. Goswamy |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Ruminations/2TgxEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Yogini+with+a+Mynah+Bird&pg=PT315&printsec=frontcover |title=Ruminations: 101 & more short essays on the spirit of Indian art |date= |publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited |isbn=978-93-6790-887-7 |language=en}}</ref> A ] bird is perched upon her right hand.<ref name=":1" /> | ||
| On either side of the woman are plants, the design of which was likely copied from Chinese porcelain or textiles.<ref name=":0" /> In the background are rocks characteristic of the Deccan, and a hill, atop which is a palace.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Brainerd |first=Madeleine |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1xzh12b |title=Mocking Bird Technologies: The Poetics of Parroting, Mimicry, and Other Starling Tropes |last2=Kitao |first2=Kaori |date=2018 |publisher=Fordham University Press |isbn=978-0-8232-7848-0 |chapter=Yogini and Mynah Bird: On the Poetics and Politics of Transspecies Meditation}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dundoo |first=Sangeetha Devi |date=2021-04-14 |title=Navina Najat Haidar, Kathleen James-Chakraborty and Abeer Gupta to discuss the intersection of art and rock formations of Hyderabad and Deccan |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/an-online-session-to-decode-deccan-rock-formations-in-medieval-art/article34316674.ece |access-date=2024-12-19 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> | On either side of the woman are lotus and peony plants, the design of which was likely copied from Chinese porcelain or textiles.<ref name=":0" /> In the background are rocks characteristic of the Deccan, and a hill, atop which is a palace.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Brainerd |first=Madeleine |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1xzh12b |title=Mocking Bird Technologies: The Poetics of Parroting, Mimicry, and Other Starling Tropes |last2=Kitao |first2=Kaori |date=2018 |publisher=Fordham University Press |isbn=978-0-8232-7848-0 |chapter=Yogini and Mynah Bird: On the Poetics and Politics of Transspecies Meditation}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dundoo |first=Sangeetha Devi |date=2021-04-14 |title=Navina Najat Haidar, Kathleen James-Chakraborty and Abeer Gupta to discuss the intersection of art and rock formations of Hyderabad and Deccan |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/an-online-session-to-decode-deccan-rock-formations-in-medieval-art/article34316674.ece |access-date=2024-12-19 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> | ||
| The painting is surrounded by poetic texts in Persian, on all four sides. | |||
| ==Analysis== | ==Analysis== | ||
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| The woman's appearance gives rise to conflicting interpretations. Her top-knotted hair and ash-besmeared skin identify her as a yogini. The elongated shape of her body also points toward her status as an ascetic, as her leanness may be due to fasting.<ref name=":1" /> | The woman's appearance gives rise to conflicting interpretations. Her top-knotted hair and ash-besmeared skin identify her as a yogini. The elongated shape of her body also points toward her status as an ascetic, as her leanness may be due to fasting.<ref name=":1" /> | ||
| However, her attire consisting of the '']'', golden ], and lavish gold jewelry suggest that she belongs to the aristocracy. In South Asian literature, myna birds are associated with noble ladies, who keep them as pets. The palace in the background gives rise to the interpretation that she has |
However, her attire consisting of the '']'', golden ], and lavish gold jewelry suggest that she belongs to the aristocracy. In South Asian literature, myna birds are associated with noble ladies, who keep them as pets. The palace in the background gives rise to the interpretation that she has left behind her past life.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hutton |first=Deborah |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Art_of_the_Court_of_Bijapur/gAvqAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=yogini+myna&dq=yogini+myna&printsec=frontcover |title=Art of the Court of Bijapur |date=2006-12-18 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=978-0-253-34784-8 |language=en}}</ref> | ||
| This depiction of princess-like yoginis is common in Deccan art. Examples of this include a painting in the ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goswamy |first=B. N. |author-link=B. N. Goswamy |title=’Art & soul: Yoginis from the Deccan |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/remembering-bn-goswamy/art-soul-yoginis-from-the-deccan/ |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=The Tribune |language=en}}</ref> | This depiction of princess-like yoginis is common in Deccan art. Examples of this include a painting in the ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goswamy |first=B. N. |author-link=B. N. Goswamy |title=’Art & soul: Yoginis from the Deccan |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/remembering-bn-goswamy/art-soul-yoginis-from-the-deccan/ |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=The Tribune |language=en}}</ref> | ||
Revision as of 12:26, 19 December 2024
| Yogini with a Mynah Bird | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Dimensions | 44 cm × 32 cm (17 in × 13 in) |
| Location | Chester Beatty Library, Dublin |
Yogini with a Mynah Bird is a Deccan-styled painting located in the Chester Beatty Library.
Background
It is dated to the early 17th century.
Description
The principal subject is a woman, who has the characteristic features of a yogini, with ash-colored skin and top-knotted hair. She is wearing a red peshwaj, with a golden dupatta and gold jewelry. A myna bird is perched upon her right hand.
On either side of the woman are lotus and peony plants, the design of which was likely copied from Chinese porcelain or textiles. In the background are rocks characteristic of the Deccan, and a hill, atop which is a palace.
The painting is surrounded by poetic texts in Persian, on all four sides.
Analysis
The woman's appearance gives rise to conflicting interpretations. Her top-knotted hair and ash-besmeared skin identify her as a yogini. The elongated shape of her body also points toward her status as an ascetic, as her leanness may be due to fasting.
However, her attire consisting of the peshwaj, golden dupatta, and lavish gold jewelry suggest that she belongs to the aristocracy. In South Asian literature, myna birds are associated with noble ladies, who keep them as pets. The palace in the background gives rise to the interpretation that she has left behind her past life.
This depiction of princess-like yoginis is common in Deccan art. Examples of this include a painting in the Jagdish and Kamla Mittal Museum.
References
- ^ Haidar, Navina Najat; Sardar, Marika (2015-04-13). Sultans of Deccan India, 1500–1700: Opulence and Fantasy. Metropolitan Museum of Art. pp. 98–100. ISBN 978-0-300-21110-8.
- ^ Goswamy, B. N. (2014). The Spirit of Indian Painting: Close Encounters with 101 Great Works, 1100-1900. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-670-08657-3.
- ^ Goswamy, B. N. Ruminations: 101 & more short essays on the spirit of Indian art. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 978-93-6790-887-7.
- ^ Brainerd, Madeleine; Kitao, Kaori (2018). "Yogini and Mynah Bird: On the Poetics and Politics of Transspecies Meditation". Mocking Bird Technologies: The Poetics of Parroting, Mimicry, and Other Starling Tropes. Fordham University Press. ISBN 978-0-8232-7848-0.
- Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (2021-04-14). "Navina Najat Haidar, Kathleen James-Chakraborty and Abeer Gupta to discuss the intersection of art and rock formations of Hyderabad and Deccan". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
- Hutton, Deborah (2006-12-18). Art of the Court of Bijapur. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34784-8.
- Goswamy, B. N. "'Art & soul: Yoginis from the Deccan". The Tribune. Retrieved 2024-12-19.