Faithful in Varanasi

Object Details

• Artist

  Raghu Rai (India, born 1942)

• Edition/State

  1/10

• Provenance

  2008-?

  Raghu Rai (b. 1942), New Delhi, India [1]

  ?-at least 2015

  Ownership information unknown

  At least 2015

  Sale, SaffronArt (established 2000), unidentified sale, unidentified date [2]

  At least 2015-2019

  Drs. Umesh and Sunanda Gaur, purchased at unidentified SaffronArt Sale [3]

  From 2019

  National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Drs. Umesh and Sunanda Gaur [4]

  Notes:

  [1] The photograph was executed in 2008 and it is the 1st of 10 editions. See the artist’s signature, the date “2008,” and the edition number “1/10” inscribed below the image.

  [2] See the object list, undated (ca. January 28, 2019), copy in object file. The list indicates that Drs. Umesh and Sunanda Gaur acquired this work from “Saffron Art,” but no date of acquisition is listed.

  See also “Looking In, Looking Out: Contemporary Indian Photography from the Gaur Collection” [exhibition catalogue], (Franklin Park, NJ: BINDU modern, 2015), p. 59.

  [3] See note 2.

  See also “Temporary Custody Receipt,” number RLS2019.2, undated, copy in object file. The object was transferred from Drs. Umesh and Sunanda Gaur to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery for acquisition consideration on March 14, 2019.

  [4] See Arthur M. Sackler, “Acquisition Consideration Form,” approved on May 14, 2019, copy in object file. See also the signed “Deed of Gift,” copy in object file.

  From 2019-2023 this work was part of the National Museum of Asian Art’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection and on March 21, 2023, the work was internally transferred to the National Museum of Asian Art Collection.

  Research updated July 3, 2024

• Collection

  National Museum of Asian Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Looking In, Looking Out: Contemporary Indian Photography from the Gaur Collection (February 13, 2016 to May 6, 2017)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Raghu Rai (India, born 1942)

  Umesh Gaur

  Sunanda Gaur

• Origin

  India

• Credit Line

  Gift of Drs. Umesh and Sunanda Gaur

• Type

  Photograph

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  2000s

• Name

  Rai, Raghu, Gaur, Sunanda, Gaur, Umesh

• Place

  India

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Contemporary Art, Worship, Art

• Culture

  Himalayan peoples, South Asians, Hindus

• Object Type

  Photographs