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Vishnu
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
This sculpture of the Hindu god Vishnu once had four arms, indicating his superhuman power. The smooth contours of the body and placid expression betoken a new vision for images of divinities in South Asia, characterized by restrained elegance. The scarf tied loosely around his hips curves gracefully under its own weight, emphasizing his passive immobility, since it would come undone if he were to move.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineVishnu, late 400s CE. Central India, Gupta Period, 5th Century. Sandstone; overall: 85.4 cm (33 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1976.75
