Creative Commons License
Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Shesha
(India, Nepal, and Tibet)
Vishnu reclines on the great serpent Shesha, who floats upon the primordial ocean, between the end of one cosmic era and the beginning of another. As Vishnu awakens from his sleep, the goddess Lakshmi massages his feet. The god Brahma is born from a lotus that grows out of Vishnu’s navel. He will perform the work of creation, making the universe anew in the endless cycle of time.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
John and Berthe Ford, Baltimore; given to Walters Art Museum, 2002.
Exhibitions
| 2004-2005 | Eternal Presence: Handprints and Footprints in Buddhist Art. Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah; Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu; Rubin Museum of Art, New York. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 8/8/2017 | Examination | examined for exhibition |
Geographies
India, Himachal Pradesh, Guler (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 5 x W: 7 5/8 in. (12.7 x 19.4 cm); Framed H: 20 1/8 × W: 15 3/16 × D: 1 1/4 in. (51.12 × 38.58 × 3.18 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of John and Berthe Ford, 2002
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
W.906