Page 42 - Indian and Himalayan Art Mar 21, 2018 NYC

PROPERTY FROM A DISTINGUISHED EUROPEAN COLLECTION

316
A BLACK STONE STELE OF VISHNU
CENTRAL OR WESTERN INDIA, 11TH-12TH CENTURY
38√ in. (99 cm.) high
$200,000-300,000
PROVENANCE
Private collection, Switzerland, 1972.
New York art market.
Acquired by the present owner from the above on 22 June 2006.

This resplendent fgure of Vishnu is carved from a luminous green stone, Stylistically, this work displays features found in both Central and Western
possibly chlorite or serpentine, which shines a lustrous black when highly Indian examples. The lustrous, smooth, dark stone is similar to that of a
polished. Vishnu stands in powerful samabhanga, holding a mace and chakra Rajputana Hari-Hara from a private collection published in Masterpieces of
in his upper hands and a conch shell and possibly lotus bud in his lower hands. Indian Sculpture (see A. Heeramaneck, Masterpieces of Indian Sculpture: From
At his feet, he is fanked by a pair of fgures known as ayudha purushas. They are the Former Collections of Nasli M. Heeramaneck, Italy, 1979, fg. 78). Compare
anthropomorphic forms of powers wielded by their source deity and are often the modeling of the crown, torso, belt and chakra to the twelfth century stele of
seen holding the implement, or weapon, associated with the deity’s power. At Vishnu from Uttar Pradesh at the Norton Simon Museum (M.1975.11.11.S). The
bottom left there is a female deity holding an attribute similar to the sitaphal treatment of the facial features, notably the broad and square outline, upraised
fruit in her right hand, symbolizing fertility, and a thick lotus stem in her left arched eyebrows and small, straight nose, can be compared to another Central
hand; the lotus stem may encircle Vishnu’s fsh or tortoise avatar and thus may Indian tenth century Indian fgure of Vishnu at the Brooklyn Museum (1969-10-
also indicate her identity as one of his spouses, Sridevi or Bhudevi. She stands 1). The style of the jewelry, kirita crown, elaborate scrolling pattern on the belt
behind shankha purusha holding the conch. At right, there is chakra purusha and chakra and four-oval lozenge design on the jewelry—not to mention the
holding the wheel at front with danda purusha holding the mace behind him. openwork triangular pattern of the chakra—are also reminiscent of medieval
At top, three-headed Brahma sits above Vishnu’s proper right shoulder and examples from eastern Gujarat or western Madhya Pradesh, such as a fgure
Shiva above the proper left. Vishnu is richly clad in elaborate jewelry, including of Garuda and another of a chauri-bearer in the CSMVS Museum, Mumbai
anklets, a festooned triple-banded belt, a thick sacred thread (yajnopavita), (M. Chandra, Stone Sculpture in the Prince of Wales Museum, Bombay, 1974,
bracelets, armlets, necklaces, earrings and an elaborate crown. The lion-like fgs. 90, 97).
kirtimukha motif in the crown and on the mace staf, referring to yet another of 印度中或西部 十一/十二世紀 黑石毗濕奴立像
Vishnu’s avatars, Narasimha, recalls central Indian images of Vishnu from the
Gupta period. The open-mouthed makara design in the crown and the earring
is another mythical creature commonly found on images of Vishnu.