Art is an important aspect of human life in both the present and the past because of the various roles it plays. As an art from Southern Asia and particularly India, Yama is a good portrait indicating the Indian God of Death dating back to 17th to 18th century. He was one of the eight protectors in the Buddhism religion. The art is found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art measuring 183.8 centimeters by 118.4 centimeters. As an artistic production, it portrays Yama with a blend of blue and green skin who is also wearing red robes. This piece employs a close visual analysis of the ancient Indian painting of Yama (mid-17th- 18th century) depicting the importance of the art, details on how it may be used and other information relating to the beliefs of the time.
Yama as one of the eight guardians of the universe plays a major role in judging the wicked and reigning over the dead. The image is much threatening and from the look of the four creatures on the head having four eyes, people fear them. The creatures guard the route the dead should follow for them to reach the palace of Yama. In addition, this portrait has a significant role in warning people (especially the believers in Buddhism) about the judgments that await those who do wicked things. During those times when it was developed, people believed that every evil deed is punishable and that the God of Death used to send his agents to beacon the souls belonging to Yama (Khamitkar 40).
The art is significant in reinforcing the beliefs in Buddhism by encouraging them to live uprightly. For instance, the picture shows a creature which is in the center of the fire, thereby strengthening the belief that Yama awaits those who are evil doers at the gate of hell. According to the believers in this religion, every time souls die, they undergo a test to confirm they were good or evil when they were on earth. The judgment symbolized by the person under the feet of this the God on the portrait. Worshippers have to make sure they live in accordance with what is right. This belief was popular at the time, echoing a warning to those who were rebellious.
On the upper section of the frame, the helpers of Yama are arranged in a linear manner with one of them holding a book from which he reads the name of those who are to pass through the judgment. Yama takes the foreground part of the portrait and is seen stepping on one of the souls and having a strong grip on the fire on the left hand and a sword on his right hand. The figure reflects on the beliefs of the time where individuals had a perception that a person will be judged based on his or her deeds while he or she was in the world of the living. Asymmetrical balance is employed in displaying the important belief of the Hindus. This technique contrasts the difference between good and evil in color and image distribution where some souls are clothed with glory.
Baleful and menacing with a face similar to that of buffalo, Yama has three red eyes, yellow hair, and two sharp horns. Also, on his head, a headdress crown made of five white skulls can be seen, as well as a necklace made of bones. All these represent death because cells which are found in flesh are missing since a cell is a single most important element that propagates life. This implies that the creature on this piece of art is proud of his role as the Lord of Death. According to Khamitkar the Skulls are associated with death and therefore, a viewer can easily understand how this God punishes those who fail to abide by the required code of behavior (pg. 38). In this case, his punishment is death to those he finds guilty after judging the dead.
Apart from invoking fear in Hindus and other audience, it also gives guidelines on the way they should live. The intent of the artist who developed it was to create a sharp and incisive difference between the two ways of living life on earth. The objective is achieved in the background and foreground of the painting where two experiences of the afterlife where one is full of pain and the other one constitute joy and comfort, are displayed. As a way of effectively convincing the target audience, the painter presents a painterly figure by making a wise choice of monks who seem relaxed in such a turbulent environment. At this point, believers are encouraged to make a wise decision about the direction they wish to take.
Symbolism is an important tool in the art which is evident in this piece to represent various aspects of the believers of the time and in the contemporary world. A vivid description is depicted by the blue object on the head as a symbol of a subservient servant to a higher authority in the spiritual realm. This object is associated with the immortality that Yama received from a higher authority as a way of putting him in control of judgment with the aid of his minions. A different yet important symbol is that of the flower on which this creature sits upon. It stands for the growth of believers in the knowledge of the creator, through a rich experience and finally shining brightly.
Visual contrast as one of the elements of art plays a vital role in reinforcing the central theme of the picture; warning individuals against actions which are immoral. This element constitutes variation in the size, color contrast, and shape of objects. For example, the monster in the piece of art looks huge and ugly showing aggression that correlates with its main task in Hinduism. The image is drawn out of imagination and not a natural shape. Moreover, the tone of the colors relates to the central message of souls perishing in anguish following their unbecoming behaviors on earth, and particularly those who are believers. This shows a painterly painting of the time which does not only look attractive but also communicates to the target audience on the effects of living contrary to the will of their maker.
Spacing has a major role in this and other portraitures in communicating the fundamental theme the artist intended the audience to grasp upon viewing it. In contrast with other pieces conveying a warning to believers about the importance of Yama in the religion, this one relies on negative spacing to compare different outcomes of human actions on earth. The complexity of the portrait effectively brings to the attention of viewers the expected results of judgment by Yama. Some versions of the figure on Yama positively utilize space to concentrate on this God. This attribute differentiates this version from others which have the same theme of the role of Yama in Hinduism.
Another element of in-depth analysis of visual attributes of portrait whose main purpose is to help develop the theme of the role of this creature is a man-made pattern of objects and shapes. Ideally, this figure effectively takes the viewers to the world of imagination, especially of damnation. Other works use natural patterns in that they are inspired by the things human see existing in the natural world. For example, there is a piece which Yama riding an animal (elephant), but this one shows the God in his palace of judgment which is also indicative of imaginative art. Despite being depicted differently, the painters got inspiration from the events and beliefs of the time when individuals were concerned about the afterlife.
In conclusion, the figure plays a major role in influencing the behavior of individuals and particularly those who are believers in Buddhism by sending a message of warning to them. By viewing the image, they are inspired to live in accordance with the guidelines of their creator. However, some of the viewers do not consider it relevant in the contemporary world, claiming that such a painting is behind time. Such assertions are baseless and rooted in personal beliefs rather than what is true to the religion since there is a repercussion for every deed. Therefore, the image is outstanding in presenting the role of Yama in Hinduism and particularly as a supernatural being that is tasked with ensuring every individual lives righteously.
Work Cited
Khamitkar, Prasanna E. "Study on the Prabhavalaya: Aureole of Gods and Goddesses." Chitrolekha International Magazine on Art & Design, vol. 6, no. 2, Apr. 2016, pp. 35-52
