Vishnu as Matsya
Painting
ca. 1860 - ca. 1870 (made)
ca. 1860 - ca. 1870 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Painting, in opaque watercolour on paper, depicting the fish (Matsya) incarnation of Vishnu. Illustration to a Vishnu Avatara series. To the right, Vishnu is depicted crowned, wearing a brocaded yellow garment; two of his four arms hold the Vedas recovered from the horse-headed demon Hayagriva, in his belt are tucked a shell and pink lotus. He issues from the mouth of the saphari fish; round a horn on the fish's head is tied a rope formed by a white snake, whose tail is fastened to a boat. In the boat stand the saga Manu and the seven rishis (sages). Beneath the grey, swirling flood lies the dead body of Hayagriva, holiding a sword, with blood pouring from his horse's head.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Vishnu as Matsya (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour on paper |
Brief description | Painting, Matsya, the fish incarnation of Vishnu, opaque watercolour on paper, Tehri Garhwal, ca. 1860-1870 |
Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour on paper, depicting the fish (Matsya) incarnation of Vishnu. Illustration to a Vishnu Avatara series. To the right, Vishnu is depicted crowned, wearing a brocaded yellow garment; two of his four arms hold the Vedas recovered from the horse-headed demon Hayagriva, in his belt are tucked a shell and pink lotus. He issues from the mouth of the saphari fish; round a horn on the fish's head is tied a rope formed by a white snake, whose tail is fastened to a boat. In the boat stand the saga Manu and the seven rishis (sages). Beneath the grey, swirling flood lies the dead body of Hayagriva, holiding a sword, with blood pouring from his horse's head. |
Dimensions |
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Content description | Illustration to a Vishnu Avatara series. To the right, Vishnu is depicted crowned, wearing a brocaded yellow garment; two of his four arms hold the Vedas recovered from the horse-headed demon Hayagriva, in his belt are tucked a shell and pink lotus. He issues from the mouth of the saphari fish; round a horn on the fish's head is tied a rope formed by a white snake, whose tail is fastened to a boat. In the boat stand the saga Manu and the seven rishis. Beneath the grey, swirling flood lies the dead body of Hayagriva, holiding a sword, with blood pouring from his horse's head. |
Style | |
Credit line | Bequeathed by Mrs. Grace S. Anderson in memory of her husband John Anderson, M. D., C. E. O., F. R. S. |
Subjects depicted | |
Bibliographic reference | Indian paintings from the Punjab Hills : a survey and history of Pahari miniature painting / by W. G. Archer ; foreword by Sherman E. Lee. London :Delhi: Sotheby Parke Bernet ;Oxford University Press, 1973 Number: 0856670022
p. 122, cat. no. 38 (ii) |
Collection | |
Accession number | IM.21-1917 |
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Record created | October 21, 2002 |
Record URL |
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