FEMALE NARRATOR:
At the center of this sculpture stand the Hindu god Vishnu and his consort, Sri Lakshmi. Vishnu, worshipped as the creator and protector of the universe, manifests himself in various heroic forms, known as avatars, to save the earth from evil.
The two deities themselves are represented here as a dignified and loving couple. Vishnu cradles Lakshmi’s breast, and she pulls herself close to him with a hand on his shoulder. He is the divine paradigm for the king, and she, the model wife, associated with fertility, wealth, good fortune. Vishnu is said to draw strength from his happy marriage:
ACTOR:
“Glancing at Sri’s face, heeding her every wish,
Vishnu creates, destroys, and protects the worlds. . .
United with her in his pleasure, he creates all…”
FEMALE NARRATOR:
Some scholars, however, see Lakshmi as Vishnu’s energy, doing the work of creation for him while he lies inactive. The couple’s embrace suggests creation, its force balancing the destruction signaled by Vishnu’s weapons and the avatars which surround him.
The arch behind the couple is adorned with small images of several manifestations. Over Lakshmi’s head, for example, appears the Man-Lion…. Hovering directly above Vishnu is the warrior Kalki, who rides a white horse…. At the base of the sculpture, you can see fragments of feet; the remnants, perhaps, of tiny devotees.
Vishnu and Lakshmi with his Avatars and Attendants
11th century
Asia: India, Himāchal Pradesh
On View
This elaborate altarpiece is one of the most impressive Hindu bronzes to survive from the Pratihara Dynasty (805–1036) of north-central India. Vishnu affectionately embraces his wife Lakshmi, and the divine couple is surrounded by his various avatars or incarnations. The supreme form of Vishnu is placed at the peak of the arch, in which he sits in deep mediation holding his primary attributes the club and wheel.
Details
- Title: Vishnu and Lakshmi with his Avatars and Attendants
- Date: 11th century
- Medium: Copper alloy
- Dimensions: 23-1/4 x 16-3/4 x 5 in. (59.1 x 42.5 x 12.7 cm)
- Credit Line: The Norton Simon Foundation
- Accession Number: F.1972.48.1.S
- Copyright: © The Norton Simon Foundation
Object Information
Himalayas: An Aesthetic Adventure
- Art Institute of Chicago, 2003-04-05 to 2003-08-17
Painting and Sculpture from Nepal, Tibet and Northwest India
- Norton Simon Museum, 1994-09-22 to 1997-06-01
- Dye III, Joseph M., Asian Art: Selections from the Norton Simon Museum, 1988, fig. 10 p. 28
- Pal, Pratapaditya, Himalayas: An Aesthetic Adventure, 2003, no. 88 pp. 138-139
- Pal, Pratapaditya, Asian Art at the Norton Simon Museum, Volume 2: Art from the Himalayas & China, 2003, no. 12 pp. 15, 44-45, 261
- Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, 2010, cat. 883 p. 348
- Nalin, David R., Analysis of A Pala-Sena Metal Durga Mahisashuramardini Shrine, 2020, Fig. 9 pp. 16-27, p. 24 (ill.)
Image reproduction permission may be granted for scholarly or arts related commercial use. All image requests, regardless of their intended purpose, should be submitted via the reproduction request form.
Images may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights. Additional permission may be required.
Approved requests for the reproduction of an image will receive a contract detailing all fees and conditions of use of the image. Upon receipt of both the signed contract and full payment, the Office of Rights and Reproductions will provide the image. A complimentary copy of the published material must be provided to the Norton Simon Museum.