Hoysala was the name of the ruling dynasty in present-day Karnataka between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries.
Under the patronage of its architecture-loving rulers, a number of icons and temples were built that now belong to the Karnata Dravida tradition.
These structures stand to this day as testimony to an especial iconography, a fine example of which is the Vishnu-Lakshmi murti that you see on this page.
It is an intricately sculpted bronze, a superior hallmark of the workmanship of the South. Lord Vishnu, the presiding deity over the preservation of existence, is seated in lalitasana on a four-legged throne.
His wife, Devi Lakshmi, is sitting on His lap. She is the presiding deity over wealth and resources; and, as such, She is indispensable to Him. One hand He raises in blessing, while the other He puts around Her waist. She holds a lotus-bud in one hand; the other She rests gently on Her lap. The language of their bodies, their composite stance, is one of calm and stability. In other words, this sculpture would exude a world of sattvaguna wherever it is installed.
Suggestions of the Hoysala style are to be found in the legs of the throne shaped like a lion’s paw and the network of vine down the frontal midline; the shringar of Lord Vishnu and Devi Lakshmi, and the aureole that stems from the backs of the lions that flank the Vishnu-Lakshmi ensemble. The simple yet elegant aureole, with its multiple curves, completes the beauty of the sculpture.
For privacy concerns, please view our Privacy Policy
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist