Cleveland Museum of Art

Pair of Deity Earrings with Vishnu on Garuda (front) and chepu (monster mask) (back)

Date

1600s or 1700s

Medium

Gold set with precious and semi-precious stones

Culture

Nepal, Kathmandu Valley

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

A green Vishnu with four arms, each holding his attributes of discus (his upper right hand), mace (upper left), lotus (lower right), and conch (in pearl, lower left) rides on a coral Garuda with lapis wings, arms outstretched. The blue figures on either side are probably celestial beings praising him in dance postures, with one leg crossed over the other. On the back sides, delicate filigree floral scrolls form the backdrop of a protective mask popular in the Nepal; a sun over a crescent moon are inlaid above his head. These larger-than-life earrings would hang on a deity statue in a Nepalese temple, rather than worn by a person.

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