Vishnu as Parasurama avatar
Painting
mid 19th century (made)
mid 19th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Painting, opaque watercolour on paper. Parasurama, the sixth incarnation (avatar) of the Hindu god Vishnu, is shown wielding his axe, called Parasu, having cut off four of the hands of king Kartavirya, who had 1,000 arms, but who is shown here with eight. Kartivirya had stolen the wish-fulfilling cow Kamadhenu, which appears at the top of the painting over the prostrate body of Parasurama's father Jamadagni, who was killed by Kartavirya's sons in revenge for his being killed by Parasurama.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Vishnu as Parasurama avatar (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Painting of the Parasurama (cow) avatar of Vishnu, opaque watercolour on paper, Rajasthan, possibly Jaipur, mid 19th century |
| Physical description | Painting, opaque watercolour on paper. Parasurama, the sixth incarnation (avatar) of the Hindu god Vishnu, is shown wielding his axe, called Parasu, having cut off four of the hands of king Kartavirya, who had 1,000 arms, but who is shown here with eight. Kartivirya had stolen the wish-fulfilling cow Kamadhenu, which appears at the top of the painting over the prostrate body of Parasurama's father Jamadagni, who was killed by Kartavirya's sons in revenge for his being killed by Parasurama. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | Parasurama, the sixth incarnation (avatar) of the Hindu god Vishnu, is shown wielding his axe, called Parasu, having cut off four of the hands of king Kartavirya, who had 1,000 arms, but who is shown here with eight. Kartivirya had stolen the wish-fulfilling cow Kamadhenu, which appears at the top of the painting over the prostrate body of Parasurama's father Jamadagni, who was killed by Kartavirya's sons in revenge for his being killed by Parasurama. |
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Parasurama Avatara' (handwritten in border) |
| 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 | |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IM.30-1917 |
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| Record created | July 24, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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