This siltstone statue shows the
Hindu God,
Vishnu. He is the caretaker of the universe who balances everything
to create order. Vishnu is concerned with the well being of everyone on earth, and we feel his influence through
karma.
This carving would originally have had four arms to symbolise Vishnu's power over the four directions - north, south,
east and west. Kneeling at his feet we see two figures. They represent the people who donated money for the piece to be
carved.
This statue was carved in North India, probably from between the valleys of Yamuna and Ganges sometime in the late
11th-early 12th century. It shows the influence of Hindu styles on India and Southeast Asia.
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