Narasimha Kills the Demon-King Hiranyakashipu
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.In this classic Kangra-style painting, Narasimha appears as the majestic lion-headed slayer of evil. Vishnu emerges dramatically from a slender pillar and disembowels King Hiranyakashipu in a scene set in a stagelike court interior. The king’s son, Prahalada, an unwavering devotee (bhakta) of Vishnu, gives praise. This painting is likely from a Dasavatara series devoted to Vishnu’s ten most celebrated appearances on earth. It may have been created during the reign of Raja Samar Chand (r. 1774–1823), a renowned patron of the arts in the Kangra court and himself a devotee of Vishnu.
Artwork Details
- Title: Narasimha Kills the Demon-King Hiranyakashipu
- Date: late 18th century
- Culture: Northern India, Kangra, Punjab Hills
- Medium: Opaque watercolor and ink on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 6 1/2 × 10 1/8 in. (16.5 × 25.7 cm)
Framed: 11 1/4 × 14 7/8 in. (28.6 × 37.8 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Lent by Nancy B. Fessenden
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art