Vishnu and wives on his eagle mount, Garuda (Shri Vishnu)

This is a superb example of a chromolithograph designed by the famed artist Ravi Varma (1848–1906), combining European academic rendering with Indian subject matter. Vishnu, “The Blue Lord,” rides on his celestial eagle, the mythical Garuda. He is accompanied by his wives, Sri Devi and Bhu Devi, who represent prosperity and the earth, respectively. Vishnu is richly garlanded in pearls and flowers, and holds aloft a discus (chakra), conch (shanka), mace (gada), and lotus blossom; Sri Devi and Bhu Devi honor him with yak-hair fly-whisks. All wear gold, jewel-encrusted crowns. Garuda clutches a cobra in his talons, symbolizing Vishnu’s victory over nature spirits. The grandeur of this vision of Vishnu ensured its enduring popularity.