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Not currently on display at the V&A

Vishnu

Manuscript Cover
1499 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Bengal (made)
Bishnupur (made)

Cover from a Vishnu Purana manuscript, opaque watercolour on wood, painted with Vishnu in ten incarnations (dasavatara) in green, blue and ochre on a red ground.


Object details

Categories
ELISE
Manuscripts
Hinduism
Religion
Paintings
Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project
SCRAN
Object type
Manuscript cover
TitleVishnu (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Painted in opaque watercolour on wood
Opaque Watercolour
Wood
Painted
Brief description
Cover from a Vishnu Purana manuscript, painted with the ten incarnations of Vishnu, painted wood, Bengal, probably Bishnupur, 1499
Physical description
Cover from a Vishnu Purana manuscript, opaque watercolour on wood, painted with Vishnu in ten incarnations (dasavatara) in green, blue and ochre on a red ground.
Dimensions
  • Height: 9cm
  • Width: 56.5cm
Content description
Vishnu in ten incarnations in green, blue and ochre on a red ground.
Credit line
Purchased with Art Fund support
Object history
From a manuscript of the Vishnu Purana, an early text recounting the avataras or 'descents' made by the god Vishnu through the ages in order to restore world order. The last folio of the manuscript was dated (Bengali) Sambat 1421 (A.D. 1499).

From the J.C. French collection. Purchased by J.C. French in 1934 from Ajit Ghose who obtained it near Vishnupur, Bankura district, Bengal.
Historical context
The ten 'avatars' of Vishnu illustrated on this manuscript cover are among the most popular stories in the Hindu tradition.
Subjects depicted
Hinduism
Deity
Vishnu
Literary referenceCover from a 'Vishnu Purana' manuscript, an early text recounting the various descents ('avataras') made by Vishnu through the Ages in order to perform some heroic act on behalf of mankind.
Bibliographic references
  • Swallow, Deborah and John Guy eds. Arts of India: 1550-1900. text by Rosemary Crill, John Guy, Veronica Murphy, Susan Stronge and Deborah Swallow. London : V&A Publications, 1990. 240 p., ill. ISBN 1851770224, pp.36/37, no.22. Guy, John: 'Indian Temple Sculpture', London, V & A Publication, 2007, p.153, pl.172. ISBN 9781851775095. Losty, J: The Art of the Book in India, 1982, no. 32
  • Arts of Bengal : the heritage of Bangladesh and eastern India : an exhibition organized by the Whitechapel Art Gallery in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum : 9 November-30 December 1979, Whitechapel Art Gallery ..., 12 January-17 February 1980, Manchester City Art Gallery ... . [London]: Whitechapel Art Gallery, [1979] Number: 085488047X (pbk.) : p.41
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.101-1955

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Record createdDecember 20, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O18846/vishnu-manuscript-cover-unknown/
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