Lot 71
South Asia, India, Tamil Nadu, Vijayanagar Period, ca. 14th to 15th century CE. A huge, well-carved, grey granite depiction in the round of the multi armed Hindu goddess Lakshmi wearing a crown, sheer garments, and holding attributes. Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity, both material and spiritual. She is the wife and active energy of Vishnu. She is also the source of eight auspicious strengths for Vishnu. Lakshmi is depicted as an elegantly dressed, prosperity showered woman with carving of her garments and form on front and back. She stands on low, rounded platform. She is a symbol of fortune, self-knowledge and spiritual liberation. Her iconography, well-rendered here, shows her with four hands, which represent the four goals of human life: dharma, kama, artha and moksha. She is often depicted as part of a trinity, consisting of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. Size: 7.6" L x 17.3" W x 43" H (19.3 cm x 43.9 cm x 109.2 cm)
South Indian life during the Vijayanagar Empire - a Hindu monarchy - was largely agrarian, with communities centered around granite temples covered in dramatic carvings of gods and saints. Hampi is the most famous of these temple sites, a massive stone complex that today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This carving would have graced a temple during this time period. Crispin Branfoot, describing the architecture of this period, writes, "Entering the Antal temple in Srivilliputtur after sunset is an eerie experience. After the glowing lights and noise of the bazaar, the corridors leading to the heart of the temple are quiet and dark. Tall columns line the corridor and huge figures emerge out of the columns themselves. There are fierce sword-wielding gods killing diminutive demons, and lion-headed monsters rearing up bearing their sharp claws, alongside more peaceful figures of dancing women and the multi-armed Krsna [Krishna] playing his flute" (Artibus Asiae, Vol. 62, No. 2 (2002), pp. 189).
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-David Swope collection, Westchester, New York, USA, 1960s to 1990s
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#153895
- Condition: Great preservation of form with some weathering to details. Great deposits on surface.
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