Provenance Information

With Spink & Son, London, probably late 1970s or early 1980s; sold to private collection, London, probably late 1970s or early 1980s, to 2010; sold to the Philadelphia Museum of Art through Oliver Forge and Brendan Lynch Ltd., London, 2010.

Exhibition Information

None

Publication Information

None

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The object has been out of its country of origin since at least the late 1970s or early 1980s. The Museum’s collection is exceptionally deep in stone devotional sculpture from across India, but includes few significant bronze images to demonstrate the importance and strength of this medium. This classic Chola Dynasty processional image of one of the most lively and fascinating of Vishnu’s avatars is an extraordinary addition to the collection where it appropriately inhabits and activates the Museum’s South Indian Mandapa, dedicated to Krishna, another of Vishnu’s avatars.