Art Appreciation Lecture Series 2018 The hidden language of art: symbol and allusion

Peacemaker, hero, warrior, lover: the many lives of Melanie Eastburn 7/8 March 2018

Lecture summary:

The great Hindu Vishnu is responsible for preserving the order of the . When equilibrium is threatened, one of many or incarnations of the god journeys to the earthly realm to restore peace. Vishnu’s avatars include boar-headed , the much loved mischievous , the heroic warrior prince and the historical Buddha. Avatars of Vishnu are central to two great Hindu epics, the and the , both of which have long been sources of artistic and moral inspiration. In his cosmic form, Vishnu encapsulates the universe; he is all things at once, including the only truth and the only reality. With origins in ancient India, in the early centuries of the current era worship of Vishnu and his avatars spread beyond South Asia to many parts of Southeast Asia.

Slide list:

1. , , India, Vishnu as (cosmic or universal man) c1800-1820, watercolour on paper, Given by Mrs Gerald Clark, V&A 2. Rajasthan, India , Vishvarupa, the cosmic form of Vishnu c1840, opaque watercolour, gold and silver on paper, NGA 2012 3. Rajasthan, India , , the heavenly abode of Vishnu c1840, opaque watercolour, gold and silver on paper, NGA 2013 4. India, and family , 1780-1800, opaque watercolour on paper, AGNSW, Gift of Dr Nigel and Mrs Norma Hawkins 2010; Company painting, South India, Vishnu on , c1825, gouache on 1820 paper, V&A, from Mr A Churchill 1923 5. Pala dynasty, Bangladesh, Vishnu , early 12 th century, phyllite, NGA 1989 6. Khmer empire, Vishnu , 12 th century, sandstone, Angkor Wat 7. Khmer empire, Head of Harihara , sandstone, Musee Guimet from 1889, transferred to National Museum of Cambodia 2016 8. Return of Head of Harihara to National Museum of Cambodia, January 2016, photo: Hong Menea, Phnom Penh Post; photo Kong Vireak 9. Chola period Tamil Nadu, India, Bhudevi, Vishnu and Sridevi , 11 th century, bronze, V&A; Company painting, South India, Vishnu and consorts , c1830, gouache on 1820 paper, V&A, from Mr A Churchill 1923 10. Vishnu , NGA; Company painting, South India, Sarasvati , c1825, gouache on 1820 paper, V&A, from Mr A Churchill 1923 11. Rajput, India, Vishnu reclining on the 1800s, opaque watercolour with gold on paper, AGNSW, Bequest of Mr J. Kitto 1986 12. (Queen’s stepwell), Patan, , India, Vishnu reclining , 11 th century, photo: Vandana Sinha, 2018 13. Rank ki vav imaging, courtesy American Institute for Indian Studies, Gurgaon, 2018 14. Jaipur, India, Ten incarnations of Vishnu, early 19th century, opaque watercolour on paper, Indian Museum, transferred to the South Kensington Museum 1879, V&A 15. Assam, India, Cloth for a high priest (Ramawali), late 19 th -early 20 th century, silk; satin weaving, embroidery, NGA 2011 16. Cloth for a high priest (Ramawali) , NGA (detail) 17. Rajasthan, India, , fish of Vishnu , 1790-1810, gouache on paper, British Museum 18. Kolkata (Calcutta), India, The god Narrayon, as an incarnation of a fish , late 19th century, watercolour with silver paint on paper, AGNSW 1959; Rajasthan, India, Matsya, the fish avatar of Vishnu, killing the demon 19th century, opaque watercolour with gold on paper, AGNSW, Bequest of Mr J Kitto 1986 19. Rajasthan, India, , fish avatar of Vishnu , 1790-1810, gouache on paper, British Museum

Proudly sponsored by

20. Khmer empire, Cambodia, Lintel: Churning of the sea of milk , mid 10 th century, sandstone, National Museum of Cambodia, on loan to NGA 21. Wat Preah Enkosei, Siem Reap, 10 th century; Lintel: Churning of the sea of milk 22. India, Varaha rescuing the earth goddess Bhu , 19 th century, wood, pigments, NGA 2008; Varaha at Queen’s stepwell, photo Vandana Sinha, AIIS 23. Chola period, South India, , bronze, c1250, Cleveland Museum of Art; Rajasthan, India, Narasimha , mid 1800s, opaque watercolour on paper, V&A 24. Deccan, India, receiving water from Bali late 17 th century, opaque watercolour on paper, BM , Vaman a at Queen’s stepwell, AIIS; Company school, Thanjavur, South India, Vamana as Trivikrama , c1830, opaque watercolour on paper, British Museum 25. Company painting, South India, , c1825, gouache on 1820 paper, V&A, from Mr A Churchill 1923 26. Basohli, India, Rama , early 18 th century, opaque watercolour on paper , National Museum New Delhi 27. Chamba style, Pahari, India, Abduction of , late 18 th century, opaque watercolour on paper, National Museum New Delhi 28. Guler style, Pahari, India, Defeat of Ravana , late 18 th century, opaque watercolour on paper, National Museum New Delhi 29. Rajput, India, Rama and Sita enthroned at Ayodhya 1800s, opaque watercolour with gold on paper, AGNSW, Bequest of Mr J Kitto 1986 30. Rajasthan, India, Krishna’s divine play for the annual pilgrimage of Vraja c1830 opaque watercolour, gold and silver on cotton, NGA 2005 31. Krishna’s divine play (detail) 32. Rajasthan, India, Festival of the cattle, c1800s opaque watercolour, gold and silver on cotton, NGA 2007; Rajasthan, India, Krishna’s fluting c1840 opaque watercolour, gold and silver on cotton, NGA 2005 33. India, Krishna fluting, gopis bathing, c1650, opaque watercolour on paper, AGNSW, Gift of Dr Nigel and Mrs Norma Hawkins 2010; Rajput, India, Dance of love (rasa lila) 1800s, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, AGNSW, Bequest of Mr J Kitto 1986 34. Jaipur, Rajasthan, Vishnu as Buddha Avatar , mid 1800s, opaque watercolour on paper, Bequeathed by Mrs Grace S. Anderson in memory of her husband John Anderson 1917 V&A; Deccan, India, Vishnu as the Buddha avatar , c1800, opaque watercolour on paper, BM 35. Khmer empire, , late 10 th century, sandstone, Musee Guimet; Company painting, South India, Kalki, tenth avatar of Vishnu , c1825, gouache on 1820 paper, purchased from Mr A Churchill 1923, V&A 36. Kalki at Queen’s stepwell, photo Vandana Sinha, AIIS 37. Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, Vishnu as Vishvarupa (cosmic or universal man) c1800-1820, watercolour on paper, Given by Mrs Gerald Clark, V&A

Reference:

T. Richard Blurton, , British Museum Press, London, 1992

Michael Brand, The vision of kings: art and experience in India , National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 1995

Balraj Kanna, Krishna: the divine lover , Hayward Gallery, London, 1997

Dr Daljeet and Dr VK Mathur, Ramayana in Indian miniatures , National Museum New Delhi, 2015

Vidya Dehejia, Indian art , Phaidon Press, London, 1997

Vidya Dehejia, , the Great Goddess: female divinity in South Asian art , Arthur M Sackler Gallery, Washington DC, with Mapin Publishing, Ahmedabad, & Prestel, Munich, 1999

Vidya Dehejia, The sensuous and the sacred: Chola bronzes from South India , University of Washington Press/American Federation of Arts, New York, 2002

Debra Diamond (ed), Yoga: the art of transformation , Arthur M Sackler Gallery, Washington DC, 2013

John Guy (ed), Lost Kingdoms: Hindu-Buddhist sculpture of early Southeast Asia , Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2014

Kalyan Krishna & Kay Talwar, In adoration of Krishna: pichhwais of Shrinathji, Tapi collection , Garden Silk Mills, Surat, 2007

RK Narayan, The Ramayana: a shortened modern prose version of the Indian epic , Penguin Books, New York, 1977