Panel from a temple hanging: recto: crowned god Balarama; verso: Vishnu

Object Details

• School/Tradition

  South Indian school

• Description

  The recto features the crowned figure of Balarama, half brother of god Krishna, who frequently features in south India as one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu. Holding his identifying attribute, the hala or ploughshare, Balarama directly faces the viewer, standing erect on a pedestal beneath a canopy of flower garlands and individual pendant flowers including full lotus buds. On the reverse is the standing form of the deep blue god Vishnu, in the form in which he is enshrined in the famous temple at Tirupati. Framed by a tiruvatchi or aureole crowned by a lion-head, he holds discus and conch shell in his two rear hands, while one front hand is in the varada gesture of wish-granting and the other rests lightly on his thigh.

• Provenance

  Early 18th century-?

  Ownership information unknown, possibly Tirupati, Tamil Nadu state, India [1]

  At least ca. 1940-?

  Ramanand Chattopadhya, method of acquisition unknown [2]

  ?-possibly ca. 1965

  Chunilal Nowlakha (active 1950-?), method of acquisition unknown [3]

  Possibly ca. 1965-?

  Possibly Arthur Tooth & Sons, Ltd. (active 1842-1972), London, England, possibly purchased from Chunilal Nowlakha in India [4]

  Possibly ca. 1965-?

  Possibly Unidentified individual, England, possibly purchased from Chunilal Nowlakha in India [5]

  ?-possibly before 1972

  Possibly Arthur Tooth & Sons, Ltd., possibly purchased from the Unidentified individual, England [6]

  Possibly before 1972-at least 1996

  Unidentified individual, purchased from Arthur Tooth & Sons, Ltd. [7]

  At least 1996-1998

  Terence McInerney, probably acquired from Unidentified individual [8]

  From 1998

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift from Terence McInerney [9]

  Notes:

  [1] See "Beyond the Legacy: Anniversary Acquisitions for the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery," (Washington, DC: Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1998), pp. 196-197.

  [2] See the related object, S1996.61, purchased from Terence McInerney Fine Arts, Ltd., New York, NY in 1996. See invoice from Terence McInerney Fine Arts, Ltd. issued by Terence McInerney, dated June 25, 1996, copy in object file. The provenance is described as, “Ex Collection: Ramanand Chattopadhya, Calcutta (ca. 1940) [/] C. L. Nowlakha, Calcutta (ca. 1965) [/] Private collection.”

  See also letter from Terence McInerney of Terence McInerney Fine Arts, Ltd., to Thomas Lentz, dated October 25, 1996, copy in object file. Terence McInerney states in the letter, “[T]he previous owner acquired it from the London art dealing firm of Tooth Ltd. It had been purchased in India in circa 1965, either by one of the Tooth brothers, or by the English collector from whom the Tooths subsequently acquired it.”

  [3] See note 2, Terence McInerney Fine Arts, Ltd. invoice and letter.

  Chunilal Nowlakha (C. L. Nowlakha) was a dealer of Indian antiques in Kolkata (Calcutta), India beginning early 1950. Nowlakha lived in Kolkata’s Zachariah Street, however his native home was in the Jiyagunge Azimgunge region of the Murshidabad district. Under the mentorship of Gambhirsingh Sethia (also from Azimgunge), Nowlakha began selling European objects and paintings after 1975 and established a well-known shop called Saroj on Camac Street in Kolkata. Nolakha’s clients included dealer and collectors such as Stella Kramrisch (1896-1993); Alice Boney (1901-1988); William Wolff (1906-1991); Alice Heeramaneck (née Arvine) (1910-1993); Samuel Eilenberg (1913-1998); Doris Wiener (née Levin) (1923-2011). His acquaintances included Pratapaditya Pal, Jagdish Mittal, and possibly Mark Zebrowski (1945-1999). Objects from Nowlakha’s stock may now be found in the National Museum, New Delhi; the Jagdish and Kamla Mittal Museum of Indian Art, Hyderabad; and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

  [4] See note 2, Terence McInerney Fine Arts, Ltd. invoice and letter.

  Arthur Tooth & Sons, Ltd. (active 1842-1972) was a prominent art gallery in London, England founded by Charles Tooth (1788-1868) for his son Arthur Tooth (1828-1900). The firm initially concentrated on eighteenth and nineteenth century British painting until the 1880s. After that date, it extended its stock to contemporary art and occasionally works by Old Masters. A New York branch was established in the 1900s and closed in 1924. Arthur’s son, Dudley William Tooth (1896-1972), joined the firm in the mid-1920 and the firm closed following his death.

  [5] See note 2, Terence McInerney Fine Arts, Ltd. invoice and letter.

  [6] See note 2, Terence McInerney Fine Arts, Ltd. letter.

  [7] See note 2, Terence McInerney Fine Arts, Ltd. letter.

  [8] See “Incoming Receipt,” dated June 16, 1998, copy in object file. The object was transferred from Terence McInerney to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery for acquisition consideration on June 16, 1998.

  Terence G. McInerney is a dealer specializing in Indian and Islamic paintings in New York, NY. McInerney’s businesses included Greater India Company, Inc. (active 1974-1991) in Cambridge, MA and Terence McInerney Fine Arts, Ltd. (active 1990-2013) in New York, NY.

  [9] See Arthur M. Sackler, “Acquisition Consideration Form,” approved on July 10, 1998, copy in object file. See also “Deed of Gift to the Arthur M. Sacker Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution,” copy in object file.

  Research updated July 31, 2023

• Collection

  National Museum of Asian Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Changing Tastes: Indian Paintings of the 18th and 19th Century (December 17, 2000 to July 15, 2001)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Ramanand Chattopadhyaya

  C. L. Nowlakha

  Arthur Tooth & Sons Ltd. (active 1842-1972)

  Terence G. McInerney

• Origin

  Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh state, India

• Credit Line

  Gift of Terence McInerney

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1730s

• Name

  Nowlakha, C. L., Chattopadhyaya, Ramanand, Arthur Tooth & Sons Ltd., McInerney, Terence G.

• Place

  Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh state, India

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Vishnu, Cats, Art, Animals, Balarama, Varada mudra, Lotus

• Culture

  Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Object Type

  Paintings