312 - SEATED BRONZE VISHNU INDIA 16TH CENTURY

SEATED BRONZE VISHNU INDIA 16TH CENTURY Dimensions: Height 5 cm Wide 3 cm Depth 2,5 cm Weight: 85 grams A compact seated deity with an expressive, animal-like face, a tall conical headdress and broad ornamental forms behind the shoulders. The figure sits with the knees opened outward above a low integral base, while both hands are raised in distinct gestures. A prominent pendant hangs at the chest, and rounded ornaments at the waist and shoulders create a strong pattern of repeated forms. The image belongs to the wider visual world of Indian devotional sculpture, in which distinctive bodily features, gestures and ornaments communicate a deity's character. The emphatic facial modelling and animated hands give the small figure an immediate presence, while the headdress and jewellery lend ceremonial dignity to the composition. The golden-toned surface shows darkened recesses and areas of wear that bring out the modelling and accentuate the figure's sculptural features.