The Death of Bhisma from a Mahabharata

Object Details

• School/Tradition

  Rajput school

• Provenance

  At least 1912-1923

  Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy (1877-1947), method of acquisition unknown [1]

  From 1923

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, “Rajput Painting” [magazine article], from “The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs,” vol. 20, no. 108, (Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd., March 1912), plate II (detail), p. 318. Object is described as, “The Death of Bhisma. […]. Author’s Collection.”

  Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy was an art historian, curator, and collector of South Asian art. Born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Coomaraswamy grew up in England where he received a doctorate in geology. Coomaraswamy was active as a geologist until 1910, when he switched his interest to the arts of Ceylon and India. He became deeply committed to introducing Western audiences to Indian art. In 1917, he accepted a curatorial post at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where he remained until his death.

  [2] See object file for copy of The National Commission of Fine Arts purchase list, dated December 14, 1923, marked as approved on December 15, 1923. Object is one of the “7 Rajput paintings” described.

  Research updated October 20, 2023

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Untitled Exhibition, South Asian Paintings, Gallery 7 (January 10, 1945 to October 2, 1947)

  Untitled Exhibition, South Asian Paintings, Gallery 4 (May 5, 1933 to January 9, 1945)

  Untitled Exhibition, Shahnama and Chinese Art (March 24, 1930 to May 5, 1933)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy (1877-1947)

• Origin

  Chamba, Himachal Pradesh state, India

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1790s

• Name

  Coomaraswamy, Ananda K.

• Place

  Chamba, Himachal Pradesh state, India

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Vishnu, Wars, Art, Krishna, King, Death, Mahabharata

• Culture

  Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Object Type

  Paintings