Not currently on display at the V&A

Narasimha, the fourth avatara of Vishnu.

Painting
ca. 1820 - ca. 1825 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Narasimha, the fourth avatara of Vishnu, killing Hiranyakasipu. To the right of the god stands the son of the asura, Prahlada. Narasimha is twelve-armed, white skinned and wears a green skir, royal jewellery and a conical crown. He sits on the stump of he column from which he has just emerged, with the brown-skinned demon held across his knees. Two hands pull out the intestine, another two hold it as a garland behind the lion-head. The remaining hands hold (R.) staff, sword, plough (L.) shield, sword, mace.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleNarasimha, the fourth avatara of Vishnu. (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Gouache on watermarked paper
Brief description
Painting; gouache on watermarked paper, Narasimha, the fourth avatara of Vishnu, Trichinopoly, ca. 1825.
Physical description
Narasimha, the fourth avatara of Vishnu, killing Hiranyakasipu. To the right of the god stands the son of the asura, Prahlada. Narasimha is twelve-armed, white skinned and wears a green skir, royal jewellery and a conical crown. He sits on the stump of he column from which he has just emerged, with the brown-skinned demon held across his knees. Two hands pull out the intestine, another two hold it as a garland behind the lion-head. The remaining hands hold (R.) staff, sword, plough (L.) shield, sword, mace.
Dimensions
  • Height: 22cm
  • Width: 18cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • (Inscription; decoration; Telugu; Telugu; Beneath illustration)
  • '44. Vishnoo with lion face killing Herinniah Caswah.' (Inscription; decoration; English; Roman)
Object history
Purchased from Mr A. Churchill, 1923.
Subject depicted
Bibliographic reference
Archer, Mildred. Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period Victoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992 29 p. ISBN 0944142303
Collection
Accession number
IM.398-1923

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Record createdJuly 27, 2000
Record URL
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