Maharana Sangram Singh II (r. 1710–34) Worshipping a Linga Under a Banyan Tree (c. 1712–15): Art, History and Details

Maharana Sangram Singh II (r. 1710–34) Worshipping a Linga Under a Banyan Tree (c. 1712–15) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Shrines alongside bodies of water were associated with serpent deities. A four-headed snake painted gold is wrapped around the linga (the phallic emblem marking the sacred presence of the god Shiva). Facing the linga is a marble image of Shiva’s mount, the bull Nandi. Flowers, packets of paan (areca nut and sweet aromatics wrapped in betel leaf), coconuts, and a flower garland are among the offerings. A brass ewer holds purified water, and a bell would punctuate moments of recitation. A blue-and-white porcelain cup holds the fragrant yellow paste to be applied to the linga and the forehead of the pious king.

Object facts

• Title: Maharana Sangram Singh II (r. 1710–34) Worshipping a Linga Under a Banyan Tree
• Date: c. 1712–15
• Culture: Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Mewar
• Type: Painting
• Technique: Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
• Dimensions: Page: 24.8 x 18.1 cm (9 3/4 x 7 1/8 in.); Miniature: 23.2 x 16.8 cm (9 1/8 x 6 5/8 in.)
• Collection: Indian Art
• Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
• Accession number: 2018.144

A detail from the museum

A miniature sculpture of Nandi, the bull mount of Shiva, is next to the king on the terrace.

Collection credit

Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.