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Devi Lakshmi as Padmavati (Lotus Goddess)

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Item Code:	RL17
Specifications:	South Indian Temple Wood Carving
Height:	46 inch
Width:	17 inch
Depth:	7 inch
Weight:	21.68 kg

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This four-armed divine image, carrying in each of her two upper hands a bunch of lotuses, and lower ones held in ‘abhaya’ and ‘varada’, imparting freedom from fear as also from worldly bonds, and bestowing blissfulness, represents Padmavati, Lakshmi’s or Shri’s transformation especially popular in southern part of India. Like Vishnu who is worshipped in India’s southern part as Venkatesh or Balaji, Lakshmi, his spouse, is known and worshipped as Padmavati and sometimes as Shri. Unlike the north India where Lakshmi enshrines, if ever, the sanctum of a Lakshmi-Narayana temple along with Vishnu and has hardly a shrine dedicated to her independent of him, in southern part Lakshmi in her transformation as Padmavati is widely worshipped and has a number of shrines dedicated independently to her. This statue of the goddess seeks her distinction as Padmavati in lotus motifs in exact adherence to her classical iconographic norms. Besides the bunches of them held in her upper hands and a larger one under her feet forming the statue’s pedestal, the figure has auspicious lotus motifs also on her lower right and left palms.

An excellent wood-piece, the statue is one of the finest examples of South Indian sculptural art, both wood-work and metal cast, as also of its decorative cult matured over centuries. Nor merely well defined sharp features – round face, lotus eyes, arched eye-brows, sharp nose, pointed chin, cute sensually modeled lips perfectly aligning to both, the chin and the nose, and rounded cheeks, or a balanced figure with perfect modeling and absolute anatomical proportions, especially in conceiving breasts, waist, gestures and entire anatomy, the statue as ingeniously discovers in colours the beauty of its various parts, ornaments, textiles, fire-arch, pedestal, besides the goddess’ body colour. Here the art of colours synthesises with three dimensional plastic art of woodcraft and creates timeless effects and an art-piece of rare beauty.

As have most divine images, this Padmavati image too has symbolic dimensions. It is a microbial representation of the universe which the fire-arch symbolises and which the great goddess pervades with her divine aura, celestial beauty and feminine grace, besides her unique splendour. The fire-arch rises from a lotus base. Lotus synthesises elements of water, earth and sky and hence stands for their unity in one form. The fire-arch represents its fuller, that is, cosmic magnification, though not beyond the goddess who pervades it. The apex of the fire-arch merges with the goddess’ crown to which it is subordinated. All forms of Lakshmi are auspicious and bring prosperity, success, growth, good health, abundance and fertility, but her form as Padmavati is considered dually auspicious, as the lotus – symbol of creativity, multiplication and purity, more emphatically associated with this form multiplies its divinity.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.

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How to care for Wood Statues?

Wood is extensively used in sculpting especially in countries like China, Germany, and Japan. One feature that makes the wood extremely suitable for making statues and sculptures is that it is light and can take very fine detail. It is easier for artists to work with wood than with other materials such as metal or stone. Both hardwoods, as well as softwood, are used for making sculptures. Wood is mainly used for indoor sculptures because it is not as durable as stone. Changes in weather cause wooden sculptures to split or be attacked by insects or fungus. The principal woods for making sculptures and statues are cedar, pine, walnut, oak, and mahogany. The most common technique that sculptors use to make sculptures out of wood is carving with a chisel and a mallet. Since wooden statues are prone to damage, fire, and rot, they require proper care and maintenance.

Wood tends to expand and contract even after it has been processed, thus it is always recommended to keep the wooden sculptures in rooms with little humidity. Excess moisture can harm your masterpiece.

Periodical dusting of the finished piece is necessary to maintain its beauty as dust accumulation on the surface takes away the shine of the sculpture. You can use a clean and soft cloth or a hairbrush for this purpose.

You must avoid applying any chemical-based solutions that may damage the wood from the inside. Instead, you can apply lemon oil or coconut oil using a cotton rag to the sculpture to bring out its natural shine. Lemon oil also helps to clean any stains on the sculpture.

Applying a layer of beeswax protects the wood from sun damage and hides even the smallest imperfections on the wood.

It is extremely important to preserve and protect wooden sculptures with proper care. A little carelessness and negligence can lead to their decay, resulting in losing all their beauty and strength. Therefore, a regular clean-up of the sculptures is a must to prolong their age and to maintain their shine and luster.

How are wood statues made?

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder.

A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.

2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.

3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.

4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.

Wood statues are lighter in weight and less expensive than metal or stone pieces. Because wood is prone to fast decay by fungus and algae, statues made out of this material are not preferred to be kept outside. The rich tradition of wood carving in countries such as Africa, Egypt, India, and Nepal has been followed for many centuries. Indian craftsmen are specialized in this classic art and continue to exhibit their extraordinary artistic skills.

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