Untitled

Unknown

7th century · Brass · Asian Art

Lakshmi, the sustainer of life who personifies abundance in all its forms, is central to the Brahmanical vision of the universe. She was among the first female deities in India to assume an independent status in the ranks of the gods. Here, she is enthroned and holds a citron (jambhira) and cornucopia. A lion, her vehicle, sits beneath her stool. Lakshmi’s iconography likely evolved from representations of Nana, a west Asian goddess with lunar associations. This icon is one of the earliest and rarest known metal representations of Lakshmi.

Artist

Unknown

Date

7th century

Medium

Brass

Culture

India (Himachal Pradesh)

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Purchase, Brooke Russell Astor Bequest, Robert and Bobbie Falk Philanthropic Fund Gift, Seymour Fund, Josephine Lois Berger-Nadler Endowment Fund, Elizabeth M. Riley Bequest, in memory of Jean Mailey, funds from various donors; and David E. Stutzman and John D. Lamb, Shelby White, and Jeff Soref Gifts, 2014