Sunayani Devi was one of the first modern women artists in India a prominent artist of the Bengal School of Art movement. A part of the famous Tagore family of Calcutta, she was a self- taught artist. Her paintings are known for depiction of the female gaze, and for offering a unique perspective into the emotions and domestic lives of Indian women. This painting is a depiction of the goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu deity associated with wealth and fortune. The Goddess is depicted wearing a golden crown, and jewellery- necklace, earrings and bangles. Her ornamentation symbolises her role as the Goddess of prosperity. She seems to be holding a vessel in her hands. The halo above her head is symbolic of her divinity. Her face is depicted as round, calm, and slightly asymmetrical, with elongated eyes. The colours used in the painting are warm and muted consisting of earthy browns, ochres, soft reds, and subdued gold tones. The minimal background consists of flowers keeping the focus entirely on the Goddess. There is a sort of flatness of space which can be noticed in the lack of depth. The proportions of the Goddess are stylized rather than being portrayed as realistic. The soft watercolours create a soft, dreamy surface. Goddess Lakshmi is also humanized in this painting. She is not depicted in a grand or temple like setting. She is depicted as a domestic spiritual presence rather than a distant cosmic deity. This reflects Devi’s tendency to merge mythology with reality. Overall, Sunyani Devi has redefined the imagery of Goddess Lakshmi in this artwork through simplicity and the influence of folk culture.
Sunyani Devi’s depiction of Goddess Lakshmi represents a profound departure from traditional, grandiose religious iconography, offering instead a deeply intimate and humanized perspective of divinity. By placing the goddess against a minimal background of simple flowers rather than a lavish temple or cosmic setting, the artwork roots the sacred in the familiar and domestic sphere.
The painting skillfully blends traditional mythology with regional folk culture. This is evident in the stylized proportions, the flatness of space, and the use of soft, muted earth tones and watercolors, which evoke a dreamy, contemplative atmosphere. Rather than portraying Lakshmi as an unapproachable, distant deity of immense cosmic power, Devi presents her as a gentle, domestic spiritual presence.
Crucially, the artwork is a powerful manifestation of the "female gaze." Lakshmi’s calm, slightly asymmetrical face, elongated eyes, and quiet posture shift the focus away from idealized perfection or external spectacle. Instead, her down-to-earth ornamentation, the simple vessel she holds, and her serene expression draw the viewer into her internal emotional world. The piece serves as a celebration of quiet strength, grace, and the sacredness found within the everyday lives of Indian women, redefining traditional imagery through simplicity, empathy, and artistic independence.
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By: Puja Kumari
In 'Lakshmi', Sunayani Devi beautifully humanises the divine by casting the goddess of prosperity into an intimate, domestic light. By eschewing grand temple settings for stylised, folk-inspired proportions and an asymmetrical visage, Devi creates a deeply comforting spiritual presence that feels accessible rather than distant. The warm, muted palette—steeped in earthy browns, ochres, and soft reds—wraps the viewer in a sense of quiet reverence and emotional grounding. This gentle interplay of flat space and dreamy watercolours transforms the cosmic deity into a tender guardian of the home, offering an evocative, uniquely feminine perspective on traditional mythology.
