Patan (Gujarat)
Wood, extensively polychromed
A pair of delicately painted figural struts formed as a crowned celestials (Apsaras) . One holds a string of rudraksha beads and a fly whisk, her raised right foot on a floral sprig. The other carries a bird and a water pot, her raised right foot rests on a small dog.
The ancestral occupation of the Hindu Suthar community, the craft of wood carving was practiced in several districts of Gujarat including Patan, Kadi, Ahmedabad and Nadiad, although the legacy of exquisite wood carving seen in the traditional havelis, mansions, is evident in all the districts of Gujarat. Patan district is renowned for the intricately carved Bohra haveli or mansions at Siddhpur; these structures are characterised by their eclectic use of geometric or floral patterns as well as motifs inspired by European and West Asian decorative elements on the woodwork of the balconies and ceilings.The wooden architecture of Ahmedabad on the other hand, acquires its distinctive aesthetic through the use of patterns borrowed from block printing and textiles.
Size (cms): 53(H) x 20(W) x 12(D)
Size (inches): 21(H) x 8(W) x 4.5(D)
