
Anonymous
India, West Bengal
Pala Dynasty (about 750–1200)
Vishnu, the Preserver, with his Consorts, Lakshmi and Sarasvati
12th century
Rajamajal black slate
Gift of William C. Luban
1967.134
Surrounded by his attributes, Vishnu exudes strength befitting the guide and protector of the faithful. In his four hands he holds traditional symbols: a conch shell for life-giving water, a lotus blossom for rebirth or fertility, a flaming mace, and a solar disk for enlightenment. Female deities surrounding him (his consorts) are symbols of his power. In India, the attributes, style, and representation of Hindu deities are prescribed by religious law. The exceptional quality of the carving, made even more difficult by the hardness of slate, indicates that masterful hands created this superb work of art.
More works of art in the category: Asian
37 works of art
See all
Other ways to explore the collection
-
Tags See all
- Abstract (24)
- Abstract Expressionism (4)
- Akan (1)
- Allegory (4)
- American (4)
- Americana (1)
- Amphora (1)
- Animals (33)
- Antiquites (17)
- Apulian (4)
- Architecture (1)
- Art Deco (1)
- Art Nouveau (3)
- Ashanti (4)
- Ashcan School (3)
- Austrian (2)
- Bamileke (1)
- Beading (1)
- Beaker (1)
- Belgian (2)
- Book Club (1)
- British (17)
- Ceramic (48)
- Chalice (1)
- Children (12)
- Chinese (5)
- Chocolate (1)
- City (7)
- Cloisonne (1)
- Cochiti (1)
- Coffee Pot (1)
- Contemporary (13)
- Costa Rica (1)
- Couples (13)
- Dan (1)
- Dan-Ngere (1)
- Death (9)
- Decorative Arts (29)
- DMG (1)
- Dogs (4)
- Drawing (6)
- Dutch (6)
- Edo Period (4)
- Egypt (1)
- Eighteenth Century (21)
- Eleventh Century (1)
- Exhibition Opening (1)
- Expressionism (1)
- Figure (149)
- Fishing (2)
- Flemish (4)
- Florida (2)
- Flowers (15)
- Folk Art (7)
- Food (1)
- Fourteenth Century (4)
- French (35)
- Fruit (1)
- Fundraiser (1)
- Furniture (7)
- Genre (4)
- Georgian Era (1)
- German (4)
- Glass (12)
- Gold (2)
- Greek (4)
- Han Dynasty (2)
- Hopi (1)
- Hudson River School (3)
- Hungarian (2)
- Hydria (2)
- Igala (1)
- Incensario (1)
- Indian (11)
- Italian (8)
- Ivory Coast (1)
- Japanese (13)
- Kamba (1)
- Kano School (1)
- Korean (2)
- Koryo Dynasty (2)
- Krater (4)
- Kuyu (1)
- Landscape (1)
- Landscapes (38)
- Louis XV (1)
- Make Take activity (1)
- Marly (1)
- Mask (8)
- Mayan (2)
- Meiji (2)
- Men (53)
- Mende (1)
- Metal (2)
- Mexican (10)
- Ming Dynasty (1)
- Mixed Media (6)
- Moon (3)
- Moonlight (3)
- Music (1)
- Mythological (6)
- Native American (5)
- Nature (3)
- New York (3)
- New York School (2)
- Nigerian (2)
- Nineteenth Century (78)
- Ninth Century (1)
- Nude (8)
- Nupe (1)
- Orientalism (1)
- Painting (125)
- Panama (1)
- Pendant (1)
- Pende (1)
- Peruvian (1)
- Portraits (21)
- Qing Dynasty (1)
- Relief (13)
- Religious (28)
- Renaissance (1)
- Rococo (1)
- Roman (2)
- Romanticism (2)
- Ruins (1)
- Russian (1)
- San Ildefonso (2)
- Scientific (1)
- Scottish (1)
- Screen (3)
- Scroll (3)
- Sculpture (53)
- Seascapes (9)
- Self-portrait (1)
- Seventeenth Century (17)
- Silver (10)
- Sixteenth Century (8)
- Sixth Century (1)
- Soldier (4)
- Spanish (4)
- Still Life (9)
- Studio Glass (5)
- Sui Dynasty (1)
- Swiss (1)
- Tea (2)
- Teapot (1)
- Tenth Century (3)
- Thai (2)
- Tibet (3)
- Tour (1)
- Twelfth Century (1)
- Twentieth Century (114)
- Vanitas (1)
- Vase (10)
- Victorian (1)
- Victorian Era (1)
- Video (3)
- Washington Color School (1)
- West Africa (1)
- Women (67)
- Works on Paper (17)
- Yoruba (4)
- Zuni (1)