Crown of Triumph

  • Pande I Made Dwi Artha, Batuan 1998
  • 40 x 52 cm
  • Ink and Acrylic on paper
  • 2016
Category: SKU: TAS092

Description

This drawing is inspired by the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, which culminates with the final war between two royal clans: the Kuravas and Pandavas. The Crown of Triumph provides a deep reflection on the Pandavas’ ultimate winning of the war. At the center of the dispute is Drupadi, the female figure in this drawing. Drupadi is the common wife of the five Pandava brothers. The Pandavas had lost their kingdom over a rigged dice game and were forced to live in exile for 13 years. At the end of this game, the Kuravas had mocked and humiliated Drupadi by undoing her royal sari (the traditional Indian wrap around garment). Vishnu miraculously intervened by making her sari infinitely long, sparing her from the humiliation of being stripped naked in public. Drupadi had sworn to wash her hair with the blood of her offenders and obtains her revenge at the end of the war. Dwi Artha reminds us that the ultimate reward is the return of peace, and her ability to let go of the hurts and humiliation and to rebuild her intimate relationship with her husbands, who are portrayed here as riding a royal carriage atop her crown of triumph.