476 - STANDING BRONZE VISHNU INDIA 16TH CENTURY

STANDING BRONZE VISHNU INDIA 16TH CENTURY Dimensions: Height 18 cm Wide 11 cm Depth 6 cm Weight: 1015 grams A finely detailed bronze of the standing, multi-armed Vishnu. He stands erect on a low, stepped plinth, wearing a high conical crown, broad earrings, layered necklaces and a closely patterned lower garment. His outstretched arms give the figure an unusually expansive silhouette; the upper hands carry emblems, while the lower hands make open, expressive gestures. Brown metal surfaces are interrupted by greenish deposits in the recesses and brighter wear along the projecting contours. Vishnu is revered in Hindu tradition as the sustainer of cosmic order, and his images commonly bring together regal dress, a composed frontal stance and symbolic attributes such as the discus and conch. The work is particularly engaging for the contrast between its calm, smiling face and the lively rhythm of the surrounding arms.