This is probably the most-photographed sculpture at the Salar Jung Museum. Popularly known as the “Double Statue of Mephistopheles & Margaretta”, this sculpture is carved out of a single log of Sycamore wood and has two distinct images on either side.

The life-size sculpture depicts the haughty, evil Mephistopheles back to back with the gentle, meek looking, Margaretta. Mephistopheles is clad in a hooded cloak, heeled boots and has a long face with a cynical smile that will remind you of Voldemort and therefore all things Evil; Margaretta on the other side has a prayer book in one hand, looks down and lost in love.   These are two characters, from Goethe’s famous drama “Faust”.