Venu-Vadaka Krishna

$2915
Item Code: RT82
Specifications:
South Indian Temple Wood Carving
Height: 47.5 inch
Width: 22 inch
Depth: 7 inch
Weight: 31.82 kg
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
Shipped to 153 countries
Shipped to 153 countries
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
Conceived and crafted like a piece of jewellery inlaid with precious gems, this resplendent wood-image, bathing in divine lustre and rare beauty, represents Lord Krishna, with absolute bliss in eyes, as playing on his flute, a form of his image usually known as Venu-Vadaka Krishna. The aesthetic aspect of the image : technical maturity, fine execution, sensitive treatment of subject, perfect modeling with as perfectly balanced parts and infusion of emotional quality, precision, elegance and exceptional beauty, imparting to it rare artistic merit and worth, is as strong or perhaps more strong than its spiritual or votive aspect. But for the largeness of its size and its humanized form with dimensions of a human figure the image could well be a thing from a jeweler’s shop, not one from a wood-carver’s workshop.

Wood, a medium not easily yielding to carpenter’s axe or chisel, or to painter’s brush and palette, has given forth this resplendent image of Lord Krishna. It does not represent his mere appearance but his entire being : his manifest and unmanifest divinity and a form with rhythm infused into it. It is unique in discovering minute details, fine lines, precise forms, delightful contours, softness of a rose-petal and fluidity of a song. Lord Krishna has been represented in a posture with his figure curving on three points, a form of his image known in Vaishnava tradition as ‘tri-bhanga’, literally meaning ‘three-curved’. A deity image for sanctum, or an art-piece, Krishna’s ‘Tri-bhanga’ posture is the most popular form of his image. In what is known as ‘Tri-bhanga’ posture the figure actually bends at five points revealing rare rhythm and far rarer exoticism of form. To the rhythm that the carpenter’s chisel created in this wood-piece the painter added the lustre of his colours and thus this most accomplished image emerged.

This apparently simple looking image portraying Krishna with flute in his hands is not as simple as it appears. The statue enacts and a drama reveals. The Prabhavali turns into the stage. Krishna emerges and acts the lead-role. He begins playing on his flute and is himself the prey to the melody that his flute produces. He knows not when his legs moved and entire figure twisted to its notes, sending it into multi-curves. The allegory unveils itself. Krishna is the ‘Lila-purusha’, cosmos, which the Prabhavali symbolises, the stage as also the background, the melody that his flute produces, ‘Maya’ – cosmic Illusion, and all components of the cosmos, spectators. As the Vaishnava mysticism has it, cosmos is the stage of the incessant ‘lila’ of the Lila-purusha. He acts to his delight and Maya is its outcome. Maya dually works. It deludes but also drags to Him and effects sublimation and release. This Vaishnava mystique is this statue’s primary thrust. Krishna is playing on his flute for his delight but it does not go unheard. It reflects in the Prabhavali’s brilliant colours and delightful forms. It allures the viewing eye by its formal beauty but Krishna’s divinity drags it away and effects transcendence and release.

The four-armed image of Lord Krishna, conceived like Vishnu whom he incarnated, holding in his hands ‘chakra’ – disc, and ‘shankha’ – conch, besides the flute carried in his normal two hands, has been installed on a formal lotus pedestal under an elegantly crafted and tastefully painted Prabhavali consisting of stylized lotus motifs and an elaborate Kirtti-mukha atop. As portrays the divine contentment on his face and bliss in eyes and the corresponding posture of his figure he is completely absorbed in his melody. Except a peacock-feather motif carved on its front the towering crown that he is wearing, as also the ‘tilaka’ mark on the forehead, the halo behind his face and ‘kundalas’ on his ears, are typically Vaishnava in character. Lord Krishna’s entire figure is covered with exquisite jewellery, especially the broad-patterned girdle with frills and laces of beads suspending from it descending down to knee-height, almost substituting loincloth. Tucked into the girdle, artistically unfurl two sashes-like textiles on sides, and one on the back, besides a sash carried over his right arm. A dually stringed broad-patterned garland or decorative band hung down the knees. He is adorned from toes to head with a number of elegant ornaments, mostly beaded and consisting of phalis.

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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Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. 

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