Vaishnava deities in the wrong color

Namaste,

I noticed some artists aren't portraying Vaishnava deities in the right hue.

For example, Vishnu / Narayana is completely dark (so say scriptures). Lakshmi is golden hued ( I wonder what this is).

I guess then, that the artists' challenge, is to first find out what is the right mix before venturing to depict them rather than depict them incorrectly.

Any thoughts? Do you think artists have liberty to portray them in any hue they want - but wouldn't that make the facial features of Vishnu difficult to be explored in a simple painting, if he is portrayed pitch dark?

Vanakkam,

I don't think there is any "right" or "wrong" color for the deities... Yet colors often have a very important role as they hold a deep and sometimes more esoteric meaning.
For exemple, we can look at the specific colors requirement for dressing the Navgraha.

But for murtis ? To convey the energy, the material is more important. South style Krishna is in black stone, north style Krishna is in white marble... Black and White, radically different colors. Yet both stone, both energy... Both Krishna !

It is only my humble view, what I mean is that we should not be picky about the right or wrong color, the right or wrong facial features, as the eyes and tastes are deceitful. As the artist paint Krishna with his bhakti and not with colors, we should look for our Ishta's "true" face at the only place we can find it truthfully: within ourselves.

Aum Namah Shivaya

Hello,

Here is a lovely representation of Vishnu (or at least I think so), do you think it is the right color?

Meh, colour matters not in depictions. A random Hindu can usually identify a deity straight off the bat by using the various things they are paired with in the depiction.
I mean blue or not, I doubt many Hindus get mixed up with depictions of Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna, for example.

As an artist, the importance of color has to be taken from many different perspectives. What creates the most visibility or contrast? What color communicates the feeling or emotion I want to illicit in the viewer and of course, how is the deity most often described in literature OR in older, traditional images.

Before I started my Ramayana series of paintings I debated whether I should paint Rama blue or with a "normal" skin tone. After all, though he is Vishnu's avatar, I found/find it hard to believe no one would find a blue infant odd in and of itself. I was thinking from both a legendary and literal place. In the end I went with blue, because in the context of the compositions the color would make him stand out even more among the scenery and other individuals.

So in short, for me personally, I take into consideration many different things in choosing colors.

Viraja said:

Lakshmi is golden hued (I wonder what this is).

Click to expand...

You have not seen that. I have seen that twice in my life or perhaps thrice. These women were all from poor families. It is a very healthy fair color. It is a color that stopped me in my tracks every time I saw it. 'Kanchan kaya', skin color like gold (of course, that is an imperfect description).

Viraja said:

Namaste,

I noticed some artists aren't portraying Vaishnava deities in the right hue.

For example, Vishnu / Narayana is completely dark (so say scriptures). Lakshmi is golden hued ( I wonder what this is).

I guess then, that the artists' challenge, is to first find out what is the right mix before venturing to depict them rather than depict them incorrectly.

Any thoughts? Do you think artists have liberty to portray them in any hue they want - but wouldn't that make the facial features of Vishnu difficult to be explored in a simple painting, if he is portrayed pitch dark?

Click to expand...

Yes Narayana is dark-hued, and so is Krishna and Rama, but it is not tamasic, or even bad to depict the Lord as cerulean-hued, for the intended meaning is still there; the sky is blue, and the ocean is blue, so is Narayana all-pervasive, being all things

The word krishna does mean dark. Even though Krishna was from northern India it's not impossible he did indeed have a dark complexion. One thing I've learned is that there is no "northern Indians are light, southern Indians are dark" division.

I remember a tv commercial with a clip of a moderately dark-complexioned Indian man who depicted a prince or king, opulently decked out, riding an elephant. He looked at the camera, nodded in greeting, and gave a mischievous smile. I could not help but think the producers had Krishna in mind. I wish I could find a Youtube clip.

Will this gentleman do? Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar of Mysore. The second image is that of Maharaja Umaid Singh of Jodhpur, the benefactor of my grandfather.


And a cute one, Maharaja of Rewa.

The color matters as although Vishnu's incarnations range in color, black is his preferred color. The symbolism is that even traditionally impure and base characteristics such as black (darkness, "evil", etc) can be transformed with his association into a form worthy of meditation.

Viraja said:

Namaste,

I noticed some artists aren't portraying Vaishnava deities in the right hue.

For example, Vishnu / Narayana is completely dark (so say scriptures). Lakshmi is golden hued ( I wonder what this is).

I guess then, that the artists' challenge, is to first find out what is the right mix before venturing to depict them rather than depict them incorrectly.

Any thoughts? Do you think artists have liberty to portray them in any hue they want - but wouldn't that make the facial features of Vishnu difficult to be explored in a simple painting, if he is portrayed pitch dark?

Click to expand...

People should not protray deities willy nilly in any way they choose. Gods are supposed to represent something and this should come out in their images and idols.

Aupmanyav said:

Will this gentleman do? Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar of Mysore. The second image is that of Maharaja Umaid Singh of Jodhpur, the benefactor of my grandfather.

Click to expand...

The man in the commercial was younger, long hair, earrings, and something on his head but not a turban. If it was a peacock feather, that would be a dead giveaway. Though the clip was fleeting, but just long enough to know it was Indian in depiction. I think it was something like a diadem, a gold circlet. I can't even remember what the product or service was being advertised, or I could Google search for a Youtube (most everything is on Youtube ).

But now I'm derailing the thread.

Dear friends,

Without realizing I have created a lot of threads... now I am fiinding it difficult to answer them all at the same time.

Please give me some time, I will post my feedback to all that who replied to me in this thread.

Thanks.

Do't worry about that. When you stop, the other members can take the thread forward. We need thread-makers. Not everyone can do that.

Viraja said:

Dear friends,

Without realizing I have created a lot of threads... now I am fiinding it difficult to answer them all at the same time.

Please give me some time, I will post my feedback to all that who replied to me in this thread.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Please create as many new threads as you can. We are looking for brand new ideas.