The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 25, 2024

Das Avataras, Ten Incarnations of Vishnu (verso), from a Kalighat album

Das Avataras, Ten Incarnations of Vishnu (verso), from a Kalighat album

c. 1890
(Indian, active late 1800s)
Eastern India, Bengal, Kolkata, Kalighat
Woodcut, hand colored with gum tempera
Secondary Support: 29.9 x 48.5 cm (11 3/4 x 19 1/8 in.); Painting only: 28.3 x 42.7 cm (11 1/8 x 16 13/16 in.)
Gift of William E. Ward in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward 2003.114.b
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

The hero Rama is can be seen in the lower register, second from left, with his wife Sita and devotee Hanuman.

Description

This hastily hand-colored woodcut depicts a set of ten avatars, or incarnations, of the Hindu god Vishnu as recognized in 1800s Bengal. In each avatar, Vishnu descended to earth in order restore balance and order to the world. In the top register, from left to right, are Vishnu’s avatars as fish, tortoise, boar, man-lion, and Brahmin. Below are Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Jagannath, and Kalki. The image of Rama shows him after his victory over the demon Ravana. He sits with Sita, crowned, holding bow and arrow. His monkey general Hanuman stands before him in a gesture of adoration.
  • ?–2003
    William E. Ward [1922–2004], Solon, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    2003–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Imagining Rama's Journey (Indian Painting rotation). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 10-September 17, 2023).
  • {{cite web|title=Das Avataras, Ten Incarnations of Vishnu (verso), from a Kalighat album|url=false|author=Shri Gobinda Chandra Roy|year=c. 1890|access-date=25 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2003.114.b