Relief Tile Depicting Balarama Abducted by the Demon Pralamba
Asian Art
On View: Asian Galleries, Arts of South Asia, 2nd floor
MEDIUM
Terracotta, traces of polychromy
DATES
5th century
PERIOD
Gupta Period
DIMENSIONS
22 x 15 1/2 x 6 1/4 in., 27.5 lb. (55.9 x 39.4 x 15.9 cm, 12.47kg)
mount: 22 × 14 1/2 × 5 in. (55.9 × 36.8 × 12.7 cm) (show scale)
COLLECTIONS
Asian Art
ACCESSION NUMBER
2018.42.1
CREDIT LINE
Gift of Gwenn Miller in memory of Barbara Stoler Miller
PROVENANCE
Prior to 1986, provenance not yet documented; by 1986, acquired by Barbara Stoler Miller, New York, NY; 1993, Barbara Stoler Miller to Gwen Miller by descent; 2018, gift of Gwen Miller to the Brooklyn Museum
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CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Male sitting astride the shoulders of a demon dwarf. The pair appear to depict the story of Balarama (an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu and the brother of Krishna) subduing the whirlwind demon, Pralamba. Pralamba attempted to abduct Balarama by using his form as a tornado to lift him into the sky, but the deity made himself heavy and eventually grounded the demon.
EXHIBITIONS
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is on view in Asian Galleries, Arts of South Asia, 2nd floor
CAPTION
Relief Tile Depicting Balarama Abducted by the Demon Pralamba, 5th century. Terracotta, traces of polychromy, 22 x 15 1/2 x 6 1/4 in., 27.5 lb. (55.9 x 39.4 x 15.9 cm, 12.47kg). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Gwenn Miller in memory of Barbara Stoler Miller, 2018.42.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, L1998.2.1_PS2.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, L1998.2.1_PS2.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2009
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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