Hiranyakashipu commands his demon warriors to threaten and injure Prahlada. Preparatory drawing from the ‘Small Bhagavata Purana’ Series

Attributed to Manaku Indian

ca. 1740–50

Not on view

The famed Indian painter Manaku was active in the small court of Guler, Himachal Pradesh, in the hills of north-western India, from ca. 1725 to ca. 1760. Manaku is renowned for having illustrated two great corpuses of Indian religious literature, the epic Ramayana and the Bhagavata Purana, the latter a monumental work celebrating devotion to Vishnu in his various guises. Book 7 of the Bhagavata Purana is in large part devoted to recounting the legend of the avatar Narasimha’s vanquishing of the demon (asura) king Hiranyakashipu. This drawing is a preparatory study for a Narasimha-legend sequence of folios for one such edition of the Bhagavata Purana. The scene of the demons tormenting the devotee (bhakti) Prahlada evocatively captures the mood of the text, the diminutive figure of the youthful prince standing, his hands raised together reverently in anjali to plead for Vishnu’s protection. Around him are the looming figures of three grotesque demons, two of whom wield spear-tipped tridents, carrying out the instructions of the demon-king, seated enthroned in his palace.

Artwork Details

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References

Title: Hiranyakashipu commands his demon warriors to threaten and injure Prahlada. Preparatory drawing from the ‘Small Bhagavata Purana’ Series
Artist: Attributed to Manaku (Indian, active ca. 1725–60)
Date: ca. 1740–50
Culture: India, Guler, Himachal Pradesh
Medium: Brush drawing on paper
Dimensions: Image: 8 11/16 × 12 5/8 in. (22 × 32 cm)
Classifications: Drawings, Paintings
Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2021
Object Number: 2021.49
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

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The Demon Hiranyaksha Departs the Demon Palace: Folio from a Bhagavata Purana Series, Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper, Northern India, Guler, Himachal Pradesh — The Demon Hiranyaksha Departs the Demon Palace: Folio from a Bhagavata Purana Series
Northern India, Guler, Himachal Pradesh
ca. 1740

Rama Releases the Demon Spies Shuka and Sarana: Folio from the Siege of Lanka series
, Manaku Indian, Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper, India, Guler, Himachal Pradesh — Rama Releases the Demon Spies Shuka and Sarana: Folio from the Siege of Lanka series
Manaku
ca. 1725

Indrajit Makes Offerings: Folio from the Siege of Lanka series, Manaku Indian, Ink on paper, India, Punjab Hills, kingdom of Guler — Indrajit Makes Offerings: Folio from the Siege of Lanka series
Manaku
ca. 1725

Rama and Lakshmana Overwhelmed by Arrows: Folio from the Siege of Lanka series, Manaku Indian, Ink on paper, India, Punjab Hills, kingdom of Guler — Rama and Lakshmana Overwhelmed by Arrows: Folio from the Siege of Lanka series
Manaku
ca. 1725

The Monkey Leader Angada Steals Ravana's Crown from His Fortress: Folio from the Siege of Lanka series, Manaku Indian, Ink and opaque watercolor on paper, India, Punjab Hills, kingdom of Guler — The Monkey Leader Angada Steals Ravana's Crown from His Fortress: Folio from the Siege of Lanka series
Manaku
ca. 1725

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