Markendeya purana series: Vishnu reclining on a serpent (Anantashayana), with other deities in attendance / Artist Unknown, India, Northern Andhra Pradesh

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Record Details

Accession Number
1980/2.305
Title
Markendeya purana series: Vishnu reclining on a serpent (Anantashayana), with other deities in attendance
Artist Nationality
Indian
Object Creation Date
late 18th century
Object Creation Place
Asia (continent)
India (nation)
Andhra Pradesh (state)
Creation Place 1
Asia (continent)
Creation Place 2
India (nation)
Creation Place 3
Andhra Pradesh (state)
Dimensions
88 cm x 86.5 cm (34 5/8 in. x 34 1/16 in.)
Century
18th century
Primary Object Classification
Painting
Primary Object Type
hand scroll
Secondary Object Classification
Painting
Secondary Object Type
narrative painting
Physical Description
The four-armed Vishnu is shown lying on the serpent Ananta (“the endless one”), resting on the surface of the cosmic ocean. As his female consort gently strokes his leg, Vishnu awakens from a long sleep. From his navel sprouts a lotus, bearing the four-headed creator god, Brahma, who will begin a new cycle of the universe.
Subject Matter
The Markandeya Purana is one of the puranas, a series of texts compiled by about the fifth century C.E. that relate narratives about the Hindu gods and embody centuries of traditional wisdom. Part of the Markandeya Purana is said to be an account of the visions of the sage Markandeya, including this scene of the moment of creation of the world.
This painting is one of three in the Museum’s collection that were originally part of a single long vertical scroll that would have been carried from village to village by itinerant storytellers. The storyteller would unroll one large scene each evening and vocally re-enact the scene, interspersing a traditional recitation about the gods with current village gossip. The fact that the painting is purpose-made for oral recitation allows the artist to create a more complex composition, with many imbedded subplots. The large scale, simplified drawing, and bold colors make this painting especially appropriate for outdoor viewing from a distance.
Rights
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Technical Details

Image Size
941 x 955
File Size
137 KB
Record
1980/2.305
Link to this Item
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1980-sl-2.305/1980_2.305.jpg

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"Markendeya purana series: Vishnu reclining on a serpent (Anantashayana), with other deities in attendance; Artist Unknown, India, Northern Andhra Pradesh." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1980-sl-2.305/1980_2.305.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 28, 2024.
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