A Kashmiri bronze group of the eight-armed Vasudeva-Kamalaja seated on Garuda. 12th century
A Kashmiri bronze group of the eight-armed Vasudeva-Kamalaja seated on Garuda, the androgynous form von Vishnu und Lakshimi shows at the proper left the female Lakshimi/Kamalaja (she who is born from a lotus) seated on the tail feathers of the eight-armed anthropomorphic form of Garuda. The attributes of Kamalaja are book, mirror, lotus and water pot, while those of Vishnu are chakra, conch, mace and lotus. Garuda, perched on a small lotus, holds a water pot to his chest while the remaining hands hold various attributes. 12th century. Mounted.
Height 17.9 cm
Detailed condition report by Holger Mittmann, dated 1.9.2011, available
Provenance
Christian Humann (?-1981) collection (Pan-Asia Collection), New York
On loan to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art until 1981
Acquired by Robert Ellsworth (1929-2014), New York, in 1981 and sold at Sotheby’s, New York, 5.10.1990, lot 53
Sotheby’s, New York, 17.6.1993, lot 59
Collection Günter Heil (1938-2014), Berlin, acquired at the above auction
Literature
Published in: Pratapaditya Pal, Bronzes of Kashmir, New York/Graz 1975, p. 76, no. 13; Compare similar piece in: J. Leroy Davidson, Art of the Indian Subcontinent from Los Angeles Collections, Los Angeles 1968, no. 78