Vishnu as Matsya thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Vishnu as Matsya

Painting
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
TitleVishnu 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
  • Page height: 298mm (approx.)
  • Page width: 406mm
  • Image within innermost painted borders height: 222mm
  • Image within innermost painted borders width: 324mm
12/06/2013 dimensions measured as part of Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project; object irregular in shape.
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 createdOctober 21, 2002
Record URL
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