Analysis Of Two Depictions Of Hanuman By Annapurna Devi And Shanti Devi

Two Depictions of Hanuman In their watercolour paintings depicting the Hindu monkey-god Hanuman, both Annapurna Devi and Shanti Devi use various visual devices such as colour, composition, and implied lines to articulate contrasting representations of the deity 's power: as centred and concrete in contrast to diffusive and dynamic respectively. In her depiction, A. Devi uses a muted selection of browns and primary colours, accented sparingly with white. Her limited choices may be a conscious emulation of earthly tones found in nature and serves to emphasise Hanuman 's bucolic strength and his stability. This restraint is further reinforced by the thick black lines surrounding Hanuman, dramatizing the potency and power of his presence. Additionally, A. Devi has not kept her watercolours firmly within the black outlines. Rather, it appears as if she had drawn the thick black lines first. This is most prominently observed in how the whites of his eyes bleed out onto the black lines. Nonetheless, this does not detract from his contained and centred presence due to the general thick lines and large swatches of colours in the painting. Instead, it contributes to his unyielding gaze. Her technique of layering colours is repeated in the lines decorating the top of his mace and his headpiece. Moreover, she seems to have used the

Devi seems to reinforce the narrative myth of Hanuman carrying an entire mountain of herbs to aid Lakshmana. Moreover, the border-organised in a running pattern of a rectangular bar of hatched lines followed by a drum-introduces a sense of controlled chaos that juxtaposes with the seemingly haphazard arrangement of the illustrated elements in the background. They also draw attention to the deity 's musical prowess in a more decorative rather than didactic manner. Additionally, Hanuman is positioned completely within the border, focusing the viewer 's gaze upon his centred