Lakshmi

Lakshmi | Oleograph with Burma Paper Silk | 1920–1925

This is a rare and exceptional oleograph of Goddess Lakshmi, made all the more extraordinary by its medium - Burma Paper Silk, a lustrous, delicate material that lends the print an almost painterly sheen, making the goddess's pink silks and jewelled crown glow with an otherworldly richness.

Lakshmi stands in full divine grace - four-armed, rising from a lotus in full bloom, holding pink lotuses in her upper hands while her lower hands gesture in abhaya (protection) and varada (blessing). Behind her, a white elephant pours water in ceremonial offering, swans glide across a serene lake, and a lush, atmospheric landscape of waterfalls and ancient trees frames her presence - all symbols drawn from her iconographic tradition as the goddess of prosperity, beauty, and abundance.

What makes this piece truly special is the interplay of the oleographic printing technique with the Burma Paper Silk ground - - a combination that was produced in very limited quantities in the early 20th century.

Dated between 1920–1925, this is a museum-worthy devotional object -equally a work of fine art, a piece of print history, and a fragment of living Indian spiritual culture.