Lakshmi, Goddess of Prosperity
Lakshmi, the sustainer of life who personifies abundance in all its forms, is central to the Brahmanical vision of the universe. She was among the first female deities in India to assume an independent status in the ranks of the gods. Here, she is enthroned and holds a citron (jambhira) and cornucopia. A lion, her vehicle, sits beneath her stool. Lakshmi’s iconography likely evolved from representations of Nana, a west Asian goddess with lunar associations. This icon is one of the earliest and rarest known metal representations of Lakshmi.
Artwork Details
- Title: Lakshmi, Goddess of Prosperity
- Date: 7th century
- Culture: India (Himachal Pradesh)
- Medium: Brass
- Dimensions: H. 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm); W. 8 in. (20.3 cm); D. 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm)
- Classification: Sculpture
- Credit Line: Purchase, Brooke Russell Astor Bequest, Robert and Bobbie Falk Philanthropic Fund Gift, Seymour Fund, Josephine Lois Berger-Nadler Endowment Fund, Elizabeth M. Riley Bequest, in memory of Jean Mailey, funds from various donors; and David E. Stutzman and John D. Lamb, Shelby White, and Jeff Soref Gifts, 2014
- Object Number: 2014.60
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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India (Himachal Pradesh)
10th century
India (Himachal Pradesh)
10th century
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late 6th–early 7th century
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