Standing Vishnu
Asian Art
On View: Asian Galleries, Arts of the Himalayas, 2nd floor
This early representation of the Hindu god of preservation combines a hieratic frontal pose with the deity's four attributes: the wheel and a boss symbolizing the lotus in the upper and lower left hands, respectively, and a mace and a conch in the upper and lower right hands.
MEDIUM
Copper alloy
DATES
9th–10th century
DIMENSIONS
9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm)
mount (with object): 9 1/2 × 4 × 3 1/4 in. (24.1 × 10.2 × 8.3 cm) (show scale)
COLLECTIONS
Asian Art
ACCESSION NUMBER
80.278.1
CREDIT LINE
Gift of Cynthia Hazen Polsky
PROVENANCE
Prior to 1980, provenance not yet documented; by 1980, acquired by Cynthia Hazen Polsky of New York, NY; 1980, gift of Cynthia Hazen Polsky to the Brooklyn Museum.
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CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Four armed Vishnu, standing on a undecorated rectagonal base. the god is crowned and adorned with jeweled earrings, necklaces, girdle, armlets and bracelets, and a stylized flame halo. In his hand she holds his attributes: The flamed cakra (wheel), boss (representing the lotus), conch and mace (which isnow missing from his upper left hand). The graceful rendedering of the dhoti, patterned with an incied stripe and dot pattern, and the scar draped at his hips, holding the sacred thread which axtends from his left shoulder in place, in contrast to the hieratic posture of the figure are aspects of the subtlety of early Nepalese bronzes.
EXHIBITIONS
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is on view in Asian Galleries, Arts of the Himalayas, 2nd floor
CAPTION
Standing Vishnu, 9th–10th century. Copper alloy, 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Cynthia Hazen Polsky, 80.278.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 80.278.1_SL1.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 80.278.1_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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