Description:

Central Asia, Nepal, ca. 17th century CE. A marvelous stone relief panel depicting the deity Vishnu with 4 arms as he stands beneath the 7 heads of Shesha, or Adishesha, the Hindu king of the serpentine demigods known as nagas. Vishnu stands in samabhanga, adorned in jewels, and dressed in a lotus crown and dhoti. A mandorla or braided serpents rises behind him as he holds attributes in each hand. The god and serpent are set in a niche framed by a flame-like border. Size: 10.4" L x 3.4" W x 15.1" H (26.4 cm x 8.6 cm x 38.4 cm); 17.2" H (43.7 cm) on included custom stand.

Vishnu, also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as The Preserver within the Trimurti, the triple deity of supreme divinity that includes Brahma and Shiva. Shesha is considered as one of the two mounts of Vishnu alongside Garuda. In the Puranas, Shesha is said to hold all the planets of the universe on his hoods and to constantly sing the glories of Vishnu from all his mouths. His name means "he who remains", from the Sanskrit root "sis," because even as the world is destroyed at the end of each kalpa, Shesha remains as he is.

Provenance: private London, United Kingdom collection; ex-private collection of a London gentleman, acquired in France in the early 2000s; ex-European collection, 1970s

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#188449

  • Condition: Permanently adhered to custom stand. Some chips, nicks, and abrasions as well as losses to 2 attributes as shown. Otherwise, intact and very nice with liberal remaining detail and rich earthen deposits.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

September 6, 2024 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 27.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000