South Indian Bronze Vishnu

This good-sized image of Vishnu has been cast as a single piece in bronze. It has clear signs of age; a pleasing, dark-brown  patina; and wear from puja rituals that have softened its contours but left its features intact.

The figure stands holding a chakra in his secondary right arm, and a conch or shanka in his secondary left.

His principal right arm is in varada-mudra. The hand of his principal left arm rests on his side in a katyavalambita gesture.

He wears various fine body ornaments and jewellery, a striped dhoti with prominent, flowing ribbons, and a tall crown. Serrated ribbons fall from the tops of the ears down the shoulders. The dhoti decoration on the back is interesting in that the stripes radiate from the waist band and across the buttocks.

The figure stands on a lotus petal dais atop a square plinth engraved with petal motifs.

Overall, it is a fine piece. It is well cast with good details and very sculptural.