Composite Elephant Carrying a Divine Rider Preceded by a Demon, India, Rajasthan, Kota, c. 1760. Opaque watercolor on paper, 7 15/16 x 11 5/8 inches. Philadelphia Museum of Art, purchased with the Edgar Viguers Seeler Fund, 1976

PHILADELPHIA, PA.- The arts of India are richly populated with animals. From ants to owls, cranes to crocodiles, these creatures are more than figures within the landscape. They can be emblems of power, legendary heroes, poetic metaphors, and much more. Their significance in the arts of the subcontinent reflects their ubiquity in everyday life as well as their roles in Hindu, Jain, and Islamic religious beliefs. Drawing on its rich collection of Indian opaque watercolor paintings dating from the 16th century to the 19th, the Philadelphia Museum of Art will present Fantastic and Functional Animals in Indian Art. This exhibition of over thirty works explores the many meanings of India’s scaly, feathery, and furry inhabitants, both natural and supernatural. Fantastic and Functional Animals in Indian Art is on view in the William Wood P. Gallery (Gallery 227) through June 2007. Lire la suite sur http://www.artdaily.com/section/news/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=19475

Simurgh Attacking Gaja-Sinha Carrying Elephants (detail), India, Rajasthan, Jodhpur (Marwar), Early 19th century.Opaque watercolor and gold on paper 12 5/8 x 9 inches. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Stella Kramrisch Collection, 1994