Page 116 - Indian and Himalayan Art, March 15, 2017 Sotheby's NYC

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PROPERTY FROM THE LANIER COLLECTION With black inner lines with red outer borders and white rules.

VARAHA BATTLES HIRANYAKSHA IN THE A related version of our painting is in the collection of the San
COSMIC OCEAN Diego Museum of Art (accession no. 1990.1085). Our present
India, Pahari, Chamba, circa 1730-40 painting is somewhat earlier and more animated than the
example cited which is identi ed as Nurpur circa 1760 and
Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper also depicts an undulating line on the horizon of the turbulent
image: 6¼ by 9½ in. (15.2 by 22.8 cm) Cosmic Ocean and with splashing waves.
folio: 7½ by 10¾ in. (17.8 by 25.4 cm)
For similar works, see E. Binney III, Rajput Miniatures from the
PROVENANCE Collection of Edwin Binney 3rd, Portland, 1968, p. 106, cat 82.
See also, S. Czuma, Indian Art from the George P. Bickford
Acquired 1990’s Collection, Cleveland, 1975, cat. 103 and A. Poster et al.,
Realms of Heroism: Indian Paintings at the Brooklyn Museum,
In this powerful and energetic miniature Varaha - the Boar New York, 1994, p. 242, cat. 197.
Avatar of Vishnu - strikes the the demon Hiranyaksha with
his golden mace in the Cosmic Ocean - the gures partly $ 12,000-18,000
submerged beneath the waves. In stark counterpoint to the
turbulent waters with white foam and agitated sprays - and at
the height of the great battle - Varaha calmly looks upward as
he balances the welfare of the Earth on his tusks - his primary
imperative is to bring order out of chaos. The other attributes
of Vishnu - chakra (discus) conch and lotus blossom raised in
his four arms.

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