Collection
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Title
Vishnu reclining on the serpent Ananta (Vishnu Anantasesha)
13th century
Artists
Unknown Artist
About
This sculpture visualising the primordial scene of creation depicts Vishnu, the preserver of the world, reclining on the multi-headed serpent Ananta, representing endlessness or eternity. Vishnu holds his weapons, the conch and wheel (cakra) and the creator god, Brahma issues from a lotus which springs from his navel. The reclining Vishnu is attended by numerous gods including his consort Lakshmi, seated at his feet.
Asian Art Department, AGNSW, April 2002
Details
Date
13th century
Materials used
stone
Dimensions
23.5 x 30.5 x 7.0 cm
Signature & date
Not signed. Not dated.
Credit
Gift of Dr and Mrs B.N. Beirman 1990
Location
Not on display
Accession number
240.1990
URL / Share
Vishnu reclining on the serpent Ananta (Vishnu Anantasesha)
Shown in 1 exhibition
Exhibition history
East of India - forgotten trade with Australia, Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, 01 Jun 2013–18 Aug 2013
Referenced in 3 publications
Bibliography
Ramesh Shankar Gupte, Iconography of the Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains, Mumbai, 1972.
K.V. Soundarajan, Artibus Asiae [vol. 29, no. 1], 'The typology of the Anantasayi icon', pp.67-84, United States of America, 1967, 67-84.
Heinrich Zimmer and Joseph Campbell, The art of Indian Asia: its mythology and transformations, New Jersey, 1960.