Leaf from Illuminated Manuscript of the Jnaneshvari (Primary Title)
Shiva and Vishnu Embrace (Verso Title)

Unknown (Artist)

1763
Indian
Manuscripts
Paintings
Works On Paper
opaque watercolor and ink on paper
India,Deccan, Maharashtra, Nagpur
Sheet: 14 5/8 × 10 11/16 in. (37.15 × 27.15 cm)
Mat: 20 × 16 in. (50.8 × 40.64 cm)
91.9.260
Not on view
Page "Illuminated Manuscript of the Jnaneshvari" (91.9.1-628)

This dramatic page illustrates the Jnaneshvari’s introduction to Book Eleven of the Gita, in which Arjuna experiences Krishna’s cosmic, all-encompassing form. Describing the emotions evoked by this vision, the author, Jnanadeva, writes, “But here tranquility and wonder predominate, like Hari and Hara affectionately embracing each other.” Thus, in the painting’s upper register, the ash-smeared Hindu god Shiva (Hara), embodiment of the universe’s destructive energy, joins with its preserver, the blue-skinned Vishnu (Hari). Below, adoring animals, deities, and humans witness the cosmic integration. The verse’s conclusion is illustrated in the decorative border above: “These two feelings are united here, just as on the day of the new moon the orbs of the sun and the moon meet.”

Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
"Picturing Philosophy," VMFA, November 21, 2001-February 24, 2002
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC

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