A rustic Indian house-temple made of wood and crafted in the shape of a ‘winged altar’. Placed in its innermost green ‘room’ are three painted figures representing the three principal Hindu gods: Lord Brahma, ‘the Creator’ (in the middle), Lord Vishnu, ‘the Protector’ (to the left and painted blue like his incarnation, Lord Krishna) and Lord Shiva, ‘the Destroyer’ (to the right). This innermost room is closed off with two narrow door wings. Over these, a larger, double-door wing swings open to the right from its hinges. The respective left-swinging double-door wing has been lost in the course of time. The plinth of the house-temple has been created as an empty drawer that closes with a small door, whose handle is the nail stuck in the lower right. On all sides of all ‘winged doors’ of this ‘winged altarpiece’ have been painted expertly and richly numerous colourful, figural, religious and mythical scenes. On both sides: floral-tendrils. Above and at the bottom: blossoms. Overall background colour: green. Unpainted wood only on the back of the altar. This portable and rustic house-temple is a rare and interesting Indian Hindu sacred object, which shows visible traces of usage and some age-related damage: scuffed colour in some places, small pieces broken off. Dimensions: H: 31 cm; W: 46 cm (with all ‘wings’ open), W: 20 cm (‘wings' closed); depth: 12 cm. First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance: Austrian Private Collection.