Standing copper alloy figure of the goddess Devi. It was produced during the 11th century in Coimbatore, south India.

Sridevi's head is crowned by a coronet (karanda-makuta) and her ears are adorned with patra-kundalaear pendants. Around her neck she wears four necklaces, amongst them is a tali necklace that is traditionally worn by married women. Her upper torso is bare except for the beaded and jewelled harness (channavira) that drapes over her breasts, above which a heavily embellished breastband (kuca-bandha) is tied. Around her upper arms she wears keyura armlets, and around her elbows there are bracelets with projecting ornaments. Her left hand is poised in the gesture of kataka mudra(ring), as her fingers form a ring around the lotus bud that she holds. Whilst her right arm hangs loosely down by her side in the lolahasta mudra or gesture, that is said to recall the 'tail of a cow'.

She stands with her left leg slightly flexed, this causes her right hip to sway and is known as the abhanga pose. Sridevi wears a striped and patterned lower garment that drapes around her legs. Above this a sash is tied, it wraps around her waist with its ends projecting and flaring outwards. An ornate girdle sits over the sash from which long beaded ties can be seen hanging in between her legs. Whilst padasarasor anklets gracefully encircle her ankles.

This figure of Sridevi is affixed to a circular lotus pedestal, which was cast as one piece. The pedestal is mounted onto a rectangular base that has two prongs. An arch shaped surround or torana (now missing) would have been supported by the prongs, and rings could also have been attached to enable this figure to be carried during ceremonial or religious processions.

Sridevi is placed to the right of Vishnu when she is worshipped in her manifestation as Laskhmi. Similarly, when she is worshipped as Valli, another of her avatars, she is placed to the right of the diety Subhrahmanya.

Bequeathed by Lord Curzon of Kedleston

Bequeathed in 1927 by Lord Curzon of Kedleston (Viceroy of India, 1898-1905)

Part of the treasure trove excavated at the Madras Presidency in Coimbatore. This figure was part of Lord Curzon of Kedleston's collection, which he formed during the course of his travels to the East in the later part of the 19th Century.

This standing figure of Sridevi was designed to accompany Vishnu and her companion Bhudevi. When displayed in a shrine, these three named dieties would be shown together as a group. Sridevi would be placed to the right of Vishnu, whilst Bhudevi would be to his left. When the figures were to be taken out or used for a procession, they would however each travel alone in a dedicated palanquin or temple car, thus asserting and stressing their separate independent identities.

Here Sridevi stands with her left leg slightly flexed in the abhanga pose,whilst her left hand is poised in the kataka mudra or ring gesture around the lotus bud that she holds. She is adorned with jewellery, her tali necklace and karanda-mukuta or conical crown are of particular note. The tali necklace is a symbol of marriage and is seen here worn above her other necklaces.The breastband that Sridevi wears enables the viewer to distinguish her from her Bhudevi, who is depicted bare-breasted.

This figure stands on a circular lotus pedestal, which was cast in one piece and then affixed to a rectangular base. The base has two upright projections that could support an arch shaped surround (now missing), or hold rings to secure a cord during processional use.

The patination of the bronze confirms that this is an excavated icon. It formed part of a cache of bronze images that were discovered at Coimbatore, and presented to Lord Curzon of Kedleston during his term as the Viceroy of India (1898 and 1905).

IM.149-1927