India, Bihar
Vishnu
Pala period, 10th­12th century
Chlorite
ht.: 104.1 cm
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Andrew Brown, 1962.639

In India, Vishnu is worshipped in the Hindu religion as the sustainer and preserver of the universe. This statue was originally placed in a Hindu temple, where Hindu devotees of Vishnu would cover the surface with colored wax or paint as a way of showing their reverence for the god.

This sculpture shows Vishnu with four arms, a sign of his power. He holds a mace, a discus, and a conch. The gesture of the fourth hand symbolizes his ability to grant wishes. Above his head, female deities offer garlands of flowers.