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Panel
Unknown - Enlarge image
Panel
- Place of origin:
Cochin, India (made)
- Date:
19th century (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Unknown (production)
- Materials and Techniques:
Carved teak wood
- Museum number:
IS.2564D-1883
- Gallery location:
In Storage
This is one of series of carved teakwood ceiling panels with reliefs of various Hindu deities. They came from a temple hall demolished in 1874 in Cochin, south-west India. Such halls (‘mandapa’) were used for theatrical, dance and music performances within a temple compound.
This deeply carved and richly polychromed panel shows a seated figure of Vishnu in four-armed form. He is holding his conch (‘sangka’), discus (‘cakra’), club (‘gada’) and flower, with an honorific canopy provided by a five-hooded cobra (‘naga’).
Vishnu is richly bejewelled, wearing ‘makara’ ear-ornaments and a ‘kirttimukha’ (face of glory) clasp on his waist belt. The representation of Vishnu’s discus is unusual. Here it has assumed the form of a ‘yantra’ mandala.
