Durga Mahishasuramardini ("Slayer of the Buffalo Demon")

Object Details

• Label

  Goddess Durga was created from the combined energy of the three most powerful Hindu gods--Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu--in order to defeat a demon that was plaguing the universe. This image represents a heroic moment for the goddess: she has just conquered the terrifying demon Mahisha. In order to escape the goddess, Mahisha had taken the form of a buffalo. Durga saw right through this petty disguise and caught him. The four-armed goddess stands on the buffalo's back, her upper hands holding the chakra (right) and conch (left). In her lower hands she holds a rope firmly tied to the buffalo's tail and to the hair of the demon Mahisha. The demon in human form emerges from the wound in the buffalo's neck, with his right leg remaining inside the animal's body. She conveys her triumph with calm certitude, her lips forming the suggestion of a smile. Her chin is tilted upwards and she gazes forwards through almond-shaped eyes. Durga wears an ankle-length sarong tied with sashes and a belt, thick bangles on her ankles and wrists, necklaces, earrings, and a diadem. Her face is framed by a halo roughly carved against a flat back-slab. This form of Durga is called Mahishasuramardini, which means "She who conquered the demon named Mahisha."

• Provenance

  To 1914

  D. Komter, Amsterdam, to 1914 [1]

  From 1914 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from D. Komter in 1914 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Miscellaneous List, S.I. 520, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas (March 25, 2023 - ongoing)

  Power in Southeast Asia (October 14, 2017 to March 13, 2020)

  Hindu and Buddhist Art (April 1, 1982 to July 18, 1983)

  Hindu and Buddhist Art (January 28, 1981 to September 24, 1981)

  Indian Art (January 1, 1963 to January 28, 1981)

  Untitled Exhibition, South Asian Art, Gallery 8 (July 15, 1958 to January 1, 1963)

• Previous custodian or owner

  D. Komter (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Java, Indonesia

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Sculpture

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  800s

• Name

  Komter, D., Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  Java, Indonesia

• Topic

  Art, Chakra, Demon, Southeast Asian Art, Stone, Water buffalo, Devi (Hindu deity), Durga? (Hindu deity), Charles Lang Freer collection, Gods, Death, Central Javanese period (600 - 799), Halo

• Culture

  Southeast Asians, Hindus

• Object Type

  Sculpture