Artwork
Vishnu Battles Madhu and Kaitabha, from a Markandeya Purana
Vishnu Battles Madhu and Kaitabha, from a Markandeya Purana is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1760 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work depicts three figures with blue-hued skin, each dressed in vivid orange, red or green garments.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Iconographically, Vishnu appears in his characteristic dark-blue complexion, adorned with a crown and jewels, reclining on the multi-hooded Shesha.
The painting illustrates an episode from the Markandeya Purana in which Vishnu awakens during the cosmic dissolution and, lying on the serpent Shesha, battles the demons Madhu and Kaitabha. The demons, born from Vishnu’s earwax, threaten Brahma’s creative work; the god defeats them by assuming the form of Hayagriva and retrieving stolen scriptures from their grasp.
Iconographically, Vishnu appears in his characteristic dark-blue complexion, adorned with a crown and jewels, reclining on the multi-hooded Shesha. The demons are shown as dark-skinned figures in dynamic postures, one often held aloft by Vishnu’s hand or weapon. The scene conveys the triumph of cosmic order (dharma) over disorder, affirming Vishnu’s role as preserver of the universe.
History & Provenance
The painting dates to 1760, a date attested in both the internal catalog record and the Wikidata entry for the work. According to the Wikidata entry, the work is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is inventoried under accession number 1974.46. The internal record classifies the piece simply as a painting, and the Wikidata description attributes it to an unknown artist, leaving the original creator unidentified.
No further details regarding an earlier ownership chain, commissioning circumstances, or pre-1974 custody are documented in the available sources, so the earliest verifiable provenance point is the Cleveland Museum of Art's acquisition of the work in 1974.
Overview
The work depicts three figures with blue-hued skin, each dressed in vivid orange, red or green garments. One figure sits serenely upon a cloud, clutching a conch shell, while the other two are locked in an aerial grapple, their limbs entwined. The backdrop is filled with swirling white strokes that evoke the impression of smoke or rolling waves.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting employs a bright palette that contrasts the cool blue of the figures with saturated orange, red and green clothing. The artist uses fluid, white gestural lines to create a sense of movement in the surrounding space, while the cloud platform grounds the central deity in a celestial setting.
Artist & collection
- Vishnu Battles Madhu and Kaitabha, from a Markandeya Purana
Vishnu on Serpent Shesha and Vishnu Battling Demons Madhu and Kaitabha
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