The Story of Narasimha and Hiranyakashipu
We are pleased to present an exceptional fragmentary black stone stele depicting one of the most dramatic and powerful episodes in the mythology of Vishnu: Narasimha killing the demon king Hiranyakashipu.
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While images of Vishnu and his principal manifestations are frequently encountered in Indian sculpture, this specific narrative moment is far less commonly seen on the art market. The subject gives the sculpture a particularly strong presence: Narasimha appears in his terrifying man-lion form, overcoming Hiranyakashipu in a scene charged with movement, violence and divine authority.
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According to Hindu tradition, Hiranyakashipu had obtained a boon that appeared to make him impossible to kill. He could not die by man or animal, inside or outside, by day or night, on earth or in the sky, nor by any weapon. Vishnu therefore appeared as Narasimha — neither man nor animal — and killed him at twilight, on a threshold, across his lap, using his claws.
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The sculpture captures this moment of divine intervention with remarkable force. Despite surviving as a fragment, the composition retains a monumental quality, with deeply carved figures and a powerful sculptural rhythm characteristic of the artistic traditions of eastern India and the Bengal region during the Pala period.
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Eastern India or Bangladesh
Pala period, 12th century
Black stone
Height: 55 cm
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This is a subject that is rarely encountered in such a substantial sculptural form, making the work particularly notable for collectors of Indian and Buddhist-Hindu sculpture.
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