Vishnu Triad
Asian Art
MEDIUM
Brass, silver, gemstone
DATES
12th century
DYNASTY
Pala
PERIOD
Pala period
DIMENSIONS
10 1/2 x 5 1/8 x 3 3/8 in. (26.7 x 13 x 8.6 cm)
(show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER
2021.1.4
CREDIT LINE
Bequest of Dr. Samuel Eilenberg
PROVENANCE
Prior to 1998, provenance not yet documented; by 1998, acquired by Samuel Eilenberg of New York; 1998, bequeathed by Samuel Eilenberg to the Brooklyn Museum; April 6, 2021, accessioned by the Brooklyn Museum.
Provenance FAQ
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Image of the Hindu god Vishnu flanked by his consorts, standing on stepped base and backed by an elaborate halo. The female consorts are roughly half the size of Vishnu. All have silver inlay in their eyes and select elements of their jewelry. Vishnu holds a lotus and mace in his upper hands, the conch and chakra in his lower hands. Behind Vishnu's head is a halo of floral or flaming elements with a large, irregularly shaped pink gemstone -- possibly a spinel or ruby -- attached above his crown. This may have been a later addition, posibly added in Nepal, as the addition of gemstones on Indian images of this era was unusual. An arched aureole backs all three figures, edged by flames with a finial at the top. Each stands on a lotus base on an architectural base.
Image is not as finely modeled or cast as some bronzes of the Pala period, suggesting that it may have been of provincial or non-royal production.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Vishnu Triad, 12th century. Brass, silver, gemstone, 10 1/2 x 5 1/8 x 3 3/8 in. (26.7 x 13 x 8.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of Dr. Samuel Eilenberg, 2021.1.4 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.2021.1.4_view01.jpg)
IMAGE
overall,
CUR.2021.1.4_view01.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
"CUR" at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. These study images may be digital point-and-shoot photographs, when we don\'t yet have high-quality studio photography, or they may be scans of older negatives, slides, or photographic prints, providing historical documentation of the object.
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