Pala Statue of Vishnu, 12-13th Century

A Pala gilt bronze statue of the Hindu god Vishnu dating from the 12th or 13th century. The four-armed god stands upright on a double lotus pedestal. Two of his arms extend forward, the left hand holding a conch shell and the right hand holding a lotus. His back right arm holds a long gada mace called Kaumodaki, and his back right hand holds a chakra disc called Sudarshana. Vishnu is adorned with elaborate jewelry, a floral garland, a thin shawl, a simple crown, and a tall finial. There are silver details on the face, earrings, and chakra discus. A pin extends out from the back of the statue, perhaps originally attaching it to a larger display.

Dimensions are: 10 inches tall X 5 inches wide, 25.4 cm X 12.7 cm. Weight: 1400 grams. All measurements are approximate.

Condition: There is gilt and age wear. The silver from the top of the mace is missing.

Provenance: From the collection of Mr. Williams in Texas. Mr. Williams has more than 50 years of collecting experience in Buddhist sculptures, paintings, and ritual objects from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Tibet, and the Central Plains of China. He has participated in sales around the world including in Hong Kong and throughout Tibet and Europe. Similar examples with shrines and attendants can be found in the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery under accession number S1992.63 and in the National Museum of New Delhi. A similar example with a shrine and attendants was sold at Christie's New York on March 26, 2003, as lot 38.

High resolution images can be found here.