Unusual Hand-Carved and Painted Rajasthani Figure. Deep red color and clear lines with minute details. Likely late 19th/early 20th Century. 

Condition: Some chips and scratches overall. 

Size: 5 x 5 x 10 1/2 in. 

#2421 . 

This figure of an Indian Rajasthani woman is rather unique, due to several key details. First, Rajasthani women are traditionally dancers, not musicians, and the tabla hand drums she holds are usually associated with the male elephant-headed god Ganesha, who engenders luck, wisdom, and ultimate success. Secondly, her nose ring, usually associated with the god of marriage, Parvati, is adorned with beads but no chain. Lastly, her bindi includes the marker of the third eye chakra along with a black dot and another red one, a conflicting expression as red indicates a married woman and black indicates a widow. The benign expression so carefully crafted onto her face in conjunction with all these features suggests that this image portrays a woman who was married, lost her husband, and has vowed to remain unwed for the rest of her life out of eternal love and devotion, similar to legends around the goddess Tara, wife of the fire god Brishapati. It was likely carved specifically as a good luck charm, to encourage happy, life-long marriage, and would make a fine wedding gift.

Some chips and scratches overall.