NARRATOR:
The octagonal crown worn by this superb figure tells us that he represents the Hindu deity Vishnu. Vishnu is the preserver of the universe, and hence of the eight directions. According to Hindu texts, whenever the universe is in danger of total destruction, the kind and dependable Vishnu assumes bodily form and descends to earth to save it. He is one of the Great Trinity of Hindu gods—with Brahma, the creator; and Shiva, the destroyer.
Vishnu's raised arm holds a conch shell, one of his main attributes. The conch was used as a musical instrument, its haunting sound a weapon to ward off demons. The spiral inside the conch symbolizes infinite, ever-expanding space. With his lowered right hand, Vishnu forms a gesture of wisdom. In his palm, he holds an orb which emphasizes his role as preserver of the universe. In the theology of the mighty Khmer empire, this orb was interpreted as the earth.
This highly polished sandstone figure comes from the capital of the Khmer empire in 10th-century Cambodia. This site, known as Koh Ker, yielded the strongest group of late Cambodian sculptures in the Norton Simon collection.
Vishnu
c. 950
Asia: Cambodia
On View
Vishnu is one of three gods that forms the Hindu trinity (trimurti). As the preserver of the universe, Vishnu is the embodiment of truth and justice. The cult of Vishnu was prominent during the Angkor period, as this monumental and exquisitely carved sculpture attests. Distinguished from other Khmer objects in the collection by its highly polished surface, this image of Vishnu holds a conch shell in his upper-left hand and a small orb in his lower-right hand.
Details
- Title: Vishnu
- Date: c. 950
- Medium: Sandstone
- Dimensions: overall: 72 x 31-1/2 x 19-1/2 in. (182.9 x 80 x 49.5 cm)
- Credit Line: Norton Simon Art Foundation
- Accession Number: M.1980.16.S
- Copyright: © Norton Simon Art Foundation
Object Information
- Lerner, Martin, The Connoisseur, fig. 10 pp. 202-203
- Knoke, Christine, Minerva, fig. 11 p. 29
- Pal, Pratapaditya, Asian Art: Selections from the Norton Simon Museum, fig. 11 pp. 68-69
- Pal, Pratapaditya, Asian Art at the Norton Simon Museum, Volume 3: Art from Sri Lanka & Southeast Asia, 2004, fig. 8, no. 142 pp. 106-107, 174, 178-179, 190, 196
- McArthur, Meher, The Arts of Asia: A Guide to the Materials, Techniques and Styles, 2005, p. 236
- Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, 2010, cat. 904 p. 350
- Melody Rod-ari, Journal of the History of Collections, 2015, fig. 7 p. 488
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