The Marble Image of Eight-Armed Durga

$835
Item Code: XL24
Specifications:
White Marble Sculpture
Height: 12 inch
Width: 9.5 inch
Depth: 3.2 inch
Weight: 3.96 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
This excellent statue in marble, a medium not easily yielding iconographic and anatomical details, or those of the attributes carried by the represented figure, often diffusing them into its milky lustre and the stone’s hardness, represents the eight-armed goddess Durga riding her mount lion. Despite a tough uncompromising medium the sculptor has manipulated it to yield even the minutest details of physique as also her spiritual being, her divinity, sublimity, self-contentment, quiescence on the face and a gentle smile on her lips. A marble statue with such details, and the entire figure of the goddess with subordinate forms: her attributes, halo among others, rising into the space without a support, could be the work only of a master sculptor. He has wondrously revealed details of wears, sari’s folds in particular, jewellery, tresses, her iconographic features and lifelike picture of her mount. The most of his effects he has obtained by his chisel and hammer, though the strokes of his brush, seeking to colour the figure of the goddess, are not any less significant.

Not as engaged in an act, eliminating an evil : a demon or a wrong, or in one of her manifest forms, the statue, essentially an image for a sanctum or a sacred space consecrated for votive ends, represents the goddess Durga in her absolute form, that is, the proto-model of all forms. She has been represented seated on her mount in absolute ease with her left leg lying down, while the right, placed horizontally on the left, or rather in the slanting position from right to left, a posture known in the iconographic tradition as ‘lalitasana’ – one that revealed beauty. Not by an act but by her mere presence the goddess ensures protection against every wrong. In initial texts she was perceived as three-aspected : ferocious, valorous and lovable or beautiful, manifesting as Kali, Durga and Parvati. Subsequently in the Devi’s worship-cult all three aspects merged into one Divine power often addressed as Durga. Besides representing these aspects Durga represented absolute womanhood giving her a new identity. Now she represented the absolute womanhood with absolute beauty and supreme valour, her aspects. It is this image of the Great Goddess that this marble statue represents, not one as enshrines early texts.

The eight-armed goddess has been conceived as carrying in right hands disc, sword and bow and arrow, the fourth, her normal right, is held in ‘abhaya’; in her left, she is carrying conch, mace and lotus; the fourth is placed on her thigh in ‘lalita-mudra’. A goddess in Shaivite line, she carries Vaishnava attributes, disc, conch, mace and lotus. The other two, sword and bow also are not linked to Shiva. This reflects the synthesis of two sectarian lines, the Vaishnava and Shaivite. The artist has taken special care in modeling her mount, its anatomy, body posture and expression of contentment on the face. Her lion symbolised her valorous aspect and her might, and the attributes of war that she carries, her ability to protect and, if needed, to destroy; however, she is not conceived as always engaged in action as is Kali or even Durga in her Mahishasura-Mardini like manifestation. With her greater breadth the lion-riding, and usually the eight-armed, Durga emerges in the devotional tradition as the most widely worshipped form of the Devi. Instead of representing just one aspect, this form of the goddess is multi-contextual.

The image of the goddess has been conceived with beautiful facial features, a rounded face, sharp nose, large wide open eyes, prominent cheeks and forehead and an elaborate neck. This effulgent form of the goddess sitting on her mount in full ease has been lavishly bejeweled. She is wearing an elegantly plaited red sari with elaborate border rendered in gold. She is putting on her head a large magnificent crown and a halo-like circular disc attached to it. She is putting on resplendent ornaments on her neck, breast, ears, nose, arms, wrists, feet and other parts.

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.

How to clean and maintain marble statues?


Marble has been a preferred material for sculptors and artists for more than a thousand years. It is a rock that undergoes metamorphism which causes recrystallization of the original carbonate mineral grains. Marble comes in various colors, designs, and dimensions. Pure white marble is the most preferred type of marble for making sculptures and statues since time immemorial. White marble is especially used for sculpting stone monumental sculptures since ancient times. The natural shine and luster of the carbonate crystals of white marble give a lavish and beautiful appearance to the statue.

 

Marble stone statues are highly durable and can even withstand harsh weather conditions without getting corroded, therefore, they can be kept indoors or outdoors without getting damaged or weathered. Although these statues can last for many decades, their regular care and cleaning are essential to increase their longevity and beautiful appearance.


  • The simplest and basic way of cleaning a marble stone statue is to clear away dirt accumulated on the surface. Outdoor statues are especially prone to biological growth and dirt build-up that may take away their natural beauty. You may rinse the statue with warm water and mild soap to clean the dirt as much as possible. You can use a sponge or cotton cloth to scrape off dirt accumulated in crevices and cracks.

 

  • You must never allow water to stand on the surface of the statue for a long time. Standing water gets absorbed by the marble’s porous surface which results in its discoloration. Therefore, it is always recommended to dry-clean the statue with a towel or damp cloth.

 

  • Applying beeswax, a non-toxic product, on the surface of the marble statue offers protection against staining, dirt, and pollutants. It also polishes the surface and gives a natural shine to the statue.

 

Marble statues need periodical cleaning to maintain their flawless look. However, harsh and deep cleaning can result in making the statue look dull. If your marble statue is withering away, it is recommended to take the help of a professional cleaner. Marble is a delicate material and therefore needs proper care.

Marble Mastery Unveiled: The Artisan's Symphony in Sculpting Timeless Beauty

Marble is a soft and delicate metamorphic rock derived from limestone. It is composed mainly of recrystallized carbonate minerals. The appealing appearance of marble gives rise to the making of beautiful sculptures and statues. Jaipur city of Rajasthan, India, is considered the capital of marble carving where various marble idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses are made. These magnificent statues are carved by skilled sculptors out of the purest white marble. The slight softness of white marble makes it easier to be carved and chiseled into any desirable form or shape. Another impressive feature of marble is that the calcite has a low refractive index that allows light to penetrate the stone before getting scattered out. This results in bringing a translucent appearance and luster to the marble sculpture. This is the reason why most sculptors prefer to work with marble for sculpting life-size statues that require intricate details, evoking a certain realism to the work.

There is a detailed or step-by-step process of developing the desired structure of a sculpture from marble stone. These steps are:

1. Clay mould

Most sculptors prefer to sculpt a preliminary model out of clay or wax to translate its complex and intricate details into the final stone sculpture with the use of calipers or a pointing machine. The plasticity of the clay mould helps sculptors capture the success of the final sculpture before carving the stone. The clay is moulded into the desired shape or form and this acts as a rough
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2. Roughing out

The second step of carving or sculpting is to remove large portions of unwanted marble stone. This task is done by using a special tool known as a point chisel. The pointed end of this tool is useful for splitting the large stone and removing big chunks that are not wanted. Usually, a mallet (a tool similar to a hammer) is used to transfer energy through the chisel to shatter the stone evenly and accurately.
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3. Refining the figure

Once the sculptors have determined the general shape of the sculpture, a toothed chisel or claw chisel is used to refine the stone. These tools create parallel lines in the stone to add texture to the figure. During this stage, the rough block of stone has now changed into the general shape of the sculpture.
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4. Adding the details

The sculptor is now ready to carry out detailed work to develop a more refined form of the sculpture. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are then used to enhance the shape into its final form. These tools finely create details such as frills or folds of clothing or locks of hair.
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5. Polishing

This is the last step in marble sculpting in which the sculptor uses materials such as sandpaper to bring out a natural sheen to the sculpture. The sandpaper is rubbed against the surface to make it smoother and flawless. Sometimes, tin oxide is also used to make the sculpture appear glossy and more translucent.
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Marble sculptures are highly durable and can last for many decades if maintained and taken care of properly. They are also extremely weather-resistant and therefore, can be kept outdoors or indoors. The exquisite beauty of marble statues elevates the aura of the space and emanates positivity all around.
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