Earring with Vishnu Riding Garuda
Unknown Artist
1600s or 1700s
Medium
Gold set with precious and semiprecious stones
Dimensions
w. 2.6 cm, l. 6.5 cm
Classification
Jewelry
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade
Accession Number
1915.342.1
About this artwork
This earring was made to hang on sculptures of deities worshipped in Nepalese temples. Nepalese craftsmen excelled at the detailed encrustation of jewels to depict complex figural imagery. They shaped gold wires into a framework, then inserted polished stones into the spaces, held in place with an adhesive. Four-armed Vishnu is made of sapphires; his mount the man-eagle appears to be made of carnelian and spinel with wings of turquoise.