Brass statuette, 'Pilgrimage Carriage' (small)

Harnessed to a cart, a proud steed prances at the ready. His task is to carry his master on a yatra, or pilgrimage. In Hindu tradition, an image of the deity was displayed on the carriage during the journey, and this one features a spiritual spear. This lovely work from S.K. Shaw is crafted with the ancient dhokra technique, a laborious lost wax process practiced in the region. First, a model is sculpted of clay and dried in the sun; it is then covered with beeswax and more clay, forming a mold. The piece is cast, cleaned and again dried in the sun. Finally, it is heated in the ground for five days and polished. Because each piece is an individual work of art, the size and shape could vary slightly from that pictured.