Gajendra Moksha

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Item Code:	OR32
Specifications:	Oil on Canvas with 24 Karat Gold
Dimensions	36.0 inches X 48 inches

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This large size canvas, measuring 38 by 50 inches, gives the most dazzling as well as sensitive treatment to one of the most popular Vaishnava myths liberation of the elephant king from the jaws of crocodile by Vishnu. The painting wondrously reveals the drama and various sentiments that the situation warrants fear on the face of the elephant king and on those behind it; anger in the demeanour of the enraged crocodile; concern in the eyes of Garuda, the great bird and Vishnu's mount; and, serene composure coupled with a mild smile on the face of Vishnu. Tears rolling from elephant king's eye and its effort to pull back divulge the pain it is experiencing and its struggle to free it from. Garuda's wide-spread wings speak of its anxiety to accelerate its speed for on stake is not the elephant king's life alone but also its Master's reputation as one redeeming his devotees in crisis. Delightful ambience colourful nature with groves of flowering trees, and bananas and coconuts which elephants most love, pond of silver blue water with drops oozing from snow-covered mountain peaks and lotuses scattered all over creates the real catastrophe. Underlie this maddening fascination the jaws of death. It draws by its beauty elephant-herd to bathe and sport but when in full rapture in extreme contrast death's deadly jaws grab their chief's foot and begin dragging it into deep waters to drown and die, and when death becomes imminent, it is rescued by the divine hands a complete drama in nut-shell.

As the Bhagavata Purana has it, the myth of the Gajendra-moksha liberation of elephant king, was first narrated to King Parikshata by Acharya Shukra during the first cosmic age. Once when the elephant king was sporting with its herd in a lotus pond, surrounded by groves of beautiful flowering and fruit-laden trees, a huge dreadful crocodile, disturbed by sporting elephants, grabbed one of the legs of their chief. The enraged crocodile began dragging it into deeper waters. The frightened elephant king struggled to pull back its leg but all in vain. It cried for help but none in the frightened herd came forward. They all looked at him helplessly. Suddenly in its animal form emerged a divine impulse. The Gajendra plucked by its trunk a lotus from the pond and lifted it towards the heaven and prayed, 'O Vishnu, my lord and refuge of the helpless, with this humble offering I pray Thee to liberate me from the jaws of this animal.' Instantly, on his mount Garuda, Vishnu descended from heaven, struck down the cruel crocodile with his disc and liberated the Gajendra. The myth has been the theme of many medieval miniatures, the Kotah artists excelling others in their treatment of it.

A blend of mythological tradition with modernism this oil painting on canvas reveals the entire drama with all perspective and dimensions and with great splendour. As compared to small canvas size of the medieval miniature this large canvas affords to the artist ample scope for revealing the drama in full and for portraying each of its characters at greater length. Vishnu occupies just a small part of the canvas, and that too on its upper side, but he nonetheless comprises painting's principal theme and focal point. Besides that the glittering gold and gems rendered using actual gilded metal foils and semi-precious stones inlaid substituting colours attract the eye, Vishnu's light-like emergence from behind the layered depth of the cosmic void hypnotises the viewing eye. The artist has created around Vishnu's face a multi-layered halo and as multi-layered a cosmic void to suggest perhaps that Vishnu emerged breaking through each layer of the cosmos and struck against his vajra-like body it brightened like molten gold, which manifests as the halo around his face.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of ancient Indian literature. Dr Daljeet is the chief curator of the Visual Arts Gallery at the National Museum of India, New Delhi. They have both collaborated on numerous books on Indian art and culture.

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Oil painting technique – India centric

Oil painting is the most interesting technique in art. Unlike other paintings or art forms, oil painting is a process in which colored pigments are painted on the canvas with a drying oil medium as a binder. This medium helps colors blend beautifully to create layers and also makes them appear rich and dense. Several varieties of oil are used in this painting such as sunflower oil, linseed oil, etc., and depending on the quality of the oil, a particular consistency of the paint is developed. With the use of an oil medium, the painting gets a natural sheen on the surface which appears extremely attractive. India is famous for its old tradition of making oil paintings. This art form was brought by Europeans in the 18th century and is now practiced by almost all well-known artists. Nirmal, a small tribal town in the state of Telangana is the center of traditional oil paintings in India where the local people practice it with dedication. Most Indian artists still use the traditional technique of oil painting.

Canvas of the required size is prepared

The artists use either a wood panel or canvas made from linen or cotton. Sometimes the canvas is stretched onto the wooden frame to form a solid base, or cardboard may be used. The canvas is coated with a layer of white paint or chalk mixed with animal glue. This mixture is then smoothed and dried to form a uniform, textured surface. The wooden panel is more expensive and heavier but its solidity is an advantage in making detailed paintings with ease.

Sketch is drawn on the canvas

Now the artist starts to draw the subject of the painting on the canvas using the actual charcoal or a charcoal pencil. Sometimes, he may sketch with thinned paint as well.

Oil paint is applied using paint brushes or palette knives

Now that the rough sketch is prepared, the artist is now ready to paint. Oil paint, a special paint that contains particles of pigments suspended in a drying oil (usually linseed oil), is again mixed with oil to make it thinner for applying it on the canvas. Proper consistency of the paint is maintained to avoid its breakage. The most important rule for the application of oil paint is “Fat over lean” in which the first layer of paint is thin and later, thicker layers are applied. This means that each additional layer of paint contains more oil. This results in getting a stable paint film. Traditionally, paint was applied using paint brushes but now the artists also use palette knives to create crisp strokes. To paint using this technique, the edge of the palette knife is used to create textured strokes that appear different from that of a paintbrush. Sometimes, oil paints are blended simply using fingers for getting the desired gradation.

Smaller oil paintings, with very fine detail, are relatively easier to paint than larger ones. The most attractive feature of these paintings is the natural shiny appearance that is obtained on the surface because of the use of oil paint. The blending of colors looks extremely realistic and this is the reason why oil paintings are loved by everyone throughout the world.

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