Goddess Laksmi

Lakshmi the divine bearer of abundance, prosperity and wealth, is an expression of India’s ancient fertility goddess Sri, from whom life itself emerges. She is closely associated with water and harvest, evoked here in the gold vessel she rests on her thigh, and the sheaf of wheat that she displays. She sits on a rocky outcrop overlooking a lotus pond with aquatic plants at her feet and abundant wheat fields behind that recede into the mists of the distant mountains. She is accompanied by an owl, embodying divine wisdom, who serves as her celestial vehicle (vahana). A cornucopia-like display of seashells, motifs likely borrowed from European natural history engravings, underscore her association with water. Laksmi holds the promise of material fulfilment and contentment. This image served as the first picture from a folio issued by the Calcutta Art Studio in 1883 as “Fifteen Hinduu Mythological Pictures.”