South India, late Chola period (900–1200s) / c. 1250
Yoga Narashimha, Vishnu in his Man-Lion Avatar
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Yoga Narashimha, Vishnu in his Man-Lion Avatar as sculpture (South India, late Chola period (900–1200s) · c. 1250).
The two posts on either side are for holding a halo that once encircled the figure.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this sculpture as bronze.
The museum's collection notes: Narasimha means “man-lion” in Sanskrit, and is the name of one of the ten main avatars, or incarnations, of the Hindu god Vishnu. For devotees, the man-lion form recalls a myth that describes his superhuman defeat of a seemingly invincible demonic foe. This rare iconic form also embodies royal power and yogic discipline. The intensity of his concentration is apparent in the expression of his face over the ruff of mane, the taut posture, symmetry, and perfect proportions of his four-armed body. The yoga band holds the crossed legs up in equilibrium. In his upper right hand he holds the flaming discus that, when thrown, cuts through ignorance a
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtYoga Narashimha, Vishnu in his Man-Lion AvatarOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.