Indian Oil Lamp with Lakshmi Motif

Welcome a gleaming arch of rays crowns this little basin like a headdress.

This brass oil lamp with Lakshmi motif is from Karnataka, South India, and dates to the 20th century. Lamps are lit in many South Indian homes at dusk, and light is generally understood as welcoming auspicious presence into the house. In form, a round bowl with a beaded base sits on a three-pointed foot and carries a tall rayed arch behind it. The arch is crowded with scrolls and a small seated figure, and green deposits settle in the lower crevices. It is 3.5 inches wide, 3.6 deep and 5.4 high.

Lots going on up top, and the base keeps the peace.