TWO ILLUSTRATIONS FROM A DEVI MAHATMYA SERIES: DURGA FIGHTING THE BUFFALO DEMON MAHISHA AND DURGA FIGHTING THE FIERCE ASURA RAKTABIJA
Provincial Pahari school, Northern India, late 19th century

Opaque pigments heightened with gold and silver on paper, comprising two horizontal compositions depicting scenes from the Devi Mahatmya, the first illustration with the multi-armed Hindu Goddess Durga on her vahana (vehicle), the tiger, attacking and vanquishing the buffalo demon Mahisha (Mahishasuramardini), all her hands engaged with different weapons, two speckled demons on the bottom right corner joining the fight, the scene within dark blue borders painted with abstract rosettes, mounted, glazed and framed in Vienna, 26.3cm x 29.3cm including the frame; and a similar illustration with the final episode of the Devi Mahatmya, Durga fighting the multiplying asura Raktabija and transforming herself into Maha Kali to drink all his blood and defeat him, within dark blue borders with white rosette, mounted on a white cardboard frame, 26cm x 31cm including the frame.