Untitled

Unknown

10th–early 11th century · Copper alloy · Asian Art

Early in the evolution of Hindu iconography, a convention emerged of representing the weapons of the gods as minor deities in human form. The ayudya-purusha (weapon-man) anthropomorphic forms evolved uniquely in South India as freestanding icons, worthy of worship independent of their source deity—in this case, Vishnu. This personified weapon is thus revered as an ansa, a partial incarnation of the god himself.

Artist

Unknown

Date

10th–early 11th century

Medium

Copper alloy

Culture

India (Tamil Nadu)

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Purchase, Louis Herlands and Tommy Yang Guo Gifts and The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Foundation Fund, 2016