Vamana being blessed by King Bali
Unknown Artist
ca. 1780s
Medium
Opaque pigments with gold on paper
Dimensions
Image: 7 × 4 1/8 in. (17.8 × 10.5 cm); sheet: 8 1/4 × 5 5/16 in. (21 × 13.5 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture
India (Andhra Pradesh)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Nancy Fessenden Gift, 2016
Accession Number
2016.248
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *Vamana being blessed King Bali*, a captivating18th-century painting from Andhra Pradesh, India, created around the 1780s. This intimate work on paper, measuring just 7 by 4⅛ inches, depicts a pivotal moment from Hindu mythology: the dwarf avatar Vamana of the god Vishnu receiving blessings from the generous demon king Bali (Mahabali). Rich with symbolic details like regal parasols crowning the figures, ornate ewers for ritual offerings, and dignified male attendants, it evokes the grandeur of royal encounters amid a divine narrative. The scene draws from the Vamana Purana, where pious...