VARAHA BATTLES HIRANYAKSHA IN THE COSMIC OCEAN

Acquired 1990's

Minor staining throughout and oxidation to silver pigments due to age. Flaking to pigment in a few areas particularly lower left quadrant. Abrasions to pigment on red folio border and lower right half of the image, clearly visible in catalogue illustration. Old tears to folio borders have been reinforced and repaired. Verso:Text inscription in black ink. Small number calculations and inventory notations. Several blue ink splotches. Conservation framed.
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In this powerful and energetic miniature Varaha - the Boar Avatar of Vishnu - strikes the the demon Hiranyaksha with his golden mace in the Cosmic Ocean - the figures partly submerged beneath the waves.  In stark counterpoint to the turbulent waters with white foam and agitated sprays - and at the height of the great battle - Varaha calmly looks upward as he balances the welfare of the Earth on his tusks - his primary imperative is to bring order out of chaos.  The other attributes of Vishnu - chakra (discus) conch and lotus blossom raised in his four arms. 

With black inner lines with red outer borders and white rules.

A related version of our painting is in the collects ion of the San Diego Museum of Art (accession no. 1990.1085).  Our present painting is somewhat earlier and more animated than the example cited which is identified as Nurpur circa 1760 and also depicts an undulating line on the horizon of the turbulent Cosmic Ocean and with splashing waves.

For similar works, see E. Binney III, Rajput Miniatures from the collects ion of Edwin Binney 3rd, Portland, 1968, p. 106, cat 82. See also, S. Czuma, Indian Art from the George P. Bickford collects ion, Cleveland, 1975, cat. 103 and A. Poster et al., Realms of Heroism: Indian Paintings at the Brooklyn Museum, New York, 1994, p. 242, cat. 197.