Vishnu as Narasimha

License this image

To license this image or for more information please contact our Licensing team.

We can manage your request more quickly if you include the following information:

Image reference number: XXX
Title and author (if applicable)
Publisher/Producer/Broadcaster
Planned release date
Print run or number of units
Image size and position, example 1/4 page, full screen, front cover, inside
Languages/territorial distribution
Digital rights - format details and license period

Not currently on display at the V&A

Artist/Maker	Unknown
Place of origin	Arcot (made)

Copper alloy image of a standing Narasimha, the 'man-lion' incarnation (avatar) of Vishnu. Narasimha is shown with four arms, holding Vishnu's attributes of a flamiang wheel (chakra) and a flaming conch shell (shanka) His other two hands in front are in abhaya and varada mudra. He stands on a lotus plinth on a tiered base incised with lotus petals, beading and a patterning of lattice and circles. The lotus plinth on which he stands is on a flat base which slots into the base.

Object details

Categories	Sculpture SCRAN India Museum
Object type	Figure
Title	Vishnu as Narasimha (generic title)
Materials and techniques	Copper alloy, casting Copper Alloy Casting
Brief description	Vishnu as Narasimha; sculpture, copper alloy, South India
Physical description	Copper alloy image of a standing Narasimha, the 'man-lion' incarnation (avatar) of Vishnu. Narasimha is shown with four arms, holding Vishnu's attributes of a flamiang wheel (chakra) and a flaming conch shell (shanka) His other two hands in front are in abhaya and varada mudra. He stands on a lotus plinth on a tiered base incised with lotus petals, beading and a patterning of lattice and circles. The lotus plinth on which he stands is on a flat base which slots into the base.
Dimensions	Height: 15.6cm 530th weight: g Weight: 398g
Object history	Transferred from the India Museum in London to the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A) in 1879. It is No. 406 in the India Museum Slips and described as 'received from N. Arcot, Madras, from Paris Exhibition 1855'.
Subjects depicted	Hinduism Vishnu
Associated objects	529(IS) (Set) 529(IS) (Set) 553(IS) (Set) 553(IS) (Set) 554(IS) (Set) 528(IS) (Set) 556(IS) (Set)
Collection	South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number	522(IS)

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record created	July 31, 2003
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O82995/vishnu-as-narasimha-figure-unknown/

Download as: JSON IIIF Manifest

License this image

Download image

Object details

About this object record

You may also like