The Assumption of the Virgin Mary -Details

In the extension of themes beyond Hinduism, Kalamkari artists freely merged iconography and imagery that were a part of their repertory with those from other Faiths. This biblical depiction was a part of similar versions, which included The Life of Christ and The Crucifxion, where, with the Virgin Mary at the centre, the conventional style of horizontal registers for storytelling widely prevalent in painted Indian scrolls narrates the life of Jesus Christ.

The textile panel shows the life of Christ in graphic detail. The miracles of Christ starts with the Wedding at Canaa. This particular graphic shows Jesus seated in the graveyard in padmasana bringing to life the dead Lazarus. At his feet is Lazarus’s sister Martha who had beseeched Christ for bringing her brother back to life. The gospel of John tells the story of Lazarus who was dead and buried for four days walking out of his grave in the burial clothes. The bottom grid shows the Passion of Christ leading to Crucifixion and subsequently Resurrection.