Vishnu Flanked by Lakshmi and Garuda

11th century

Not on view

Restituted

This artwork was restituted in November 2022. It is no longer in the museum’s collection.

In early Nepalese art, triads were favored in both Hindu and Buddhist imagery. This stela depicts Vishnu in his four-armed form, displaying, in raised hands, his principal weapons—a discus and a club. Attending him are his consort, the goddess Lakshmi, and the eagle Garuda, his celestial vehicle, represented in anthropomorphic form. Vishnu stands on a raised platform decorated with a stylized lotus plant and a flower cartouche, while Lakshmi is on a lotus pedestal and Garuda is on tiered rocks, representing his mountain abode. Each deity is surrounded by a pearl-and-flame aureole, as is the entire ensemble.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Vishnu Flanked by Lakshmi and Garuda
Period: Thakuri period
Date: 11th century
Culture: Nepal (Kathmandu Valley)
Medium: Stone
Dimensions: H. 19 14 in. (48.9 cm); W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm); D. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
Classification: Sculpture
Credit Line: Gift of Evelyn Kossak, The Kronos Collections, 1995
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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