STÈLE REPRÉSENTANT VISHNU EN PIERRE NOIRE

Inde du Nord-Est, époque Pala, vers le XIIe siècle

Footnotes

印度東北部 帕拉時期 約十二世紀 毗濕奴黑石碑

Provenance:
European private collection, acquired in London in the 1960s
Acquired from the above by the present owner

來源：
歐洲私人收藏，於1960年代得自倫敦
現藏家得自上述來源

This Sena-period stele is distinguished by the rounded face and carved regalia of Vishnu, who stands at center in a frontal manner. In his upraised hands, Vishnu grasps a mace and chakra within his sinuous fingers. His lower hands hold a conch and offer the gesture of wish-granting (varada mudra). His consorts, Lakshmi and Sarasvati flank either side of his legs. A Garuda is positioned below the lotus pedestal on which Vishnu stands framed by projecting flower heads and donor figures. At the top of the stele, celestial garland bearers are depicted on either side of the protective mask of the kirtimukha.

For a closely related example attributed to Bangladesh in the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, see Huntington, Leaves from the Bodhi Tree, 1989, no. 36. The stele also compares favorably to another of the same scale and subject sold at Sotheby's, New York, 17 March 2015, lot 1052. Also see examples sold at Christie's, New York, 12 September 2009, lot 579; Sotheby's, New York, 20 March 2013, lot 273; and Bonhams, New York, 23 September 2020, lot 642.