Early 20th Century Chola Style Bronze Lakshmi Narasimha Vishnu Statue South India Indian Hindu Antique Vintage

This portable statue is of the god of Vishnu depicts Narasimha, the half man, half lion avatar of Vishnu. It is believed that the god manifests in a bronze image of themselves at certain times in the year. Priests would worship sculptures like this one by washing it with precious liquids, decorating them and parading it through town.

Approximate Dimensions: Height 10.5 x Width 6.5 x Depth 6.5 inch

Hand made of bronze using the ‘lost wax technique’*. Only one of these statues is ever made

Dramatic and striking.

*Lost-wax Method or madhuchchhishtavidhana or cire perdue is the method of pouring molten metal into the hollow of a wax mould. This wax mold is lost during the making process. Bronze is used as the preferred metal as it is stronger and more tensile.

** Lakshmi Narasimha is an iconographical depiction of Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Vishnu, with his consort Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity

Narasimha is depicted here with his consort Lakshmi, seated on his lap. In contrast to his ugra (terrible) aspect, where his face is contorted and enraged, he appears to be serene in this form. He carries his aspects of the Sudarshana Chakra and the Panchajanya. The statue is adorned with jewels and his right foot rests on a lotus flower.