NEPAL, 17TH CENTURY

细节

A stone relief of Varaha
Nepal, 17th century
Very finely carved with the boar-faced avatar striding over the naga king, wearing a dhoti incised with flowerheads, several necklaces and a garland of fresh flowers, the face finely modeled with a foliate crown, carrying a chakra, lotus, conch and staff in his four hands, the Earth Goddess seated on his upper left arm with hands folded, backed by a flaming aureole incised with bird and flowers, the bottom and sides carved with ocean waves
13½ (34.3 cm.) high

来源

Private collection, New Jersey, acquired and imported before 1968
By descent to present owner by 1980

拍品专文

After waging war on Heaven, Hiranyaksha the demon challenged Vishnu to a duel by abducting his consort Prithvi, the Earth Goddess, and hiding her at the bottom of the ocean. Vishnu, in his third incarnate as Varaha the Boar, immediately shot out of Brahma's nose and dove into the ovean to rescue her. He lifted her up by his tusks and ascended to the surface. Once safely above water, Varaha used his chakra to disarm and destroy the demon. This relief depicts Brahma Varaha emerging triumphantly from the ocean with Prithvi perched on his left elbow, her hands folded in thanks.