The Moon God, Chandra (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
This delicately crafted sculpture depicts the moon god, Chandra, riding in his celestial chariot, which is pulled by seven geese. His charioteer appears below him, and two female archers stand at the sides of the vehicle, shooting shafts of light to warn off the demons of darkness. A relatively minor deity in India, Chandra seems to have enjoyed a large cult following in Nepal, where his iconography was adapted from that of the Hindu sun god, Surya.
Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, Gift of Paul Mellon
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.