Artwork
Durga Killing the Demon Mahisha
Durga Killing the Demon Mahisha is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work depicts a four‑armed deity dressed in red, poised above a defeated creature with a lion’s torso and a human face.
About this work
Overview
The work depicts a four‑armed deity dressed in red, poised above a defeated creature with a lion’s torso and a human face. A golden halo crowns the goddess, while she brandishes an array of weapons. The vanquished being lies on its back, its green and red skin suggesting both ferocity and surrender.
Subject & Meaning
The scene illustrates the Hindu goddess Durga in the act of slaying the demon Mahisha, a narrative symbolising the triumph of divine order over chaos. The contrast between the bright, assertive goddess and the subdued, mottled form of the demon underscores the moral of righteous power overcoming evil.
Technique & Style
Rendered with bold outlines and vivid pigments, the painting employs a flat, decorative approach characteristic of the Kalighat school. The use of stark color blocks—red robes, golden halo, and the demon’s mixed green‑red flesh—creates a striking visual hierarchy, while the simplified facial features emphasize iconic representation over naturalism.
Context
Kalighat paintings emerged in 19th‑century Bengal as popular devotional and narrative art, often produced for a mass audience. This work follows that tradition, employing accessible visual language to convey mythological themes, and reflects the syncretic aesthetic that blended folk motifs with emerging urban tastes.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
