Vishnu holding the mace or gada. India, 12th–13th centuries.

Vishnu holding the mace or gada. India, 12th–13th centuries.
Sandstone.
Provenance: private collection, Milan, Italy.
Measurements: 70 cm high.

Important Indian sandstone sculpture depicting Vishnu, one of the principal deities of Hinduism, associated with the preservation of cosmic order and the maintenance of universal balance. The figure stands in a frontal, solemn pose, richly adorned with a headdress, jewelry, a necklace, a belt, and intricately carved clothing.

The identification of Vishnu is reinforced by the presence of the gada or mace, one of his most characteristic attributes. This symbolic weapon, associated with power, authority, and spiritual strength, expresses the god’s ability to protect dharma and overcome the forces of chaos. In Vaishnava iconography, the gada usually appears alongside other attributes such as the conch shell, the discus, and the lotus, forming a complex visual language of protection, sovereignty, and transcendence.

The piece stands out for its rich ornamentation and the careful articulation of its forms. The god’s body is rendered with the elegance and rhythm characteristic of medieval Indian sculpture, where anatomy, ornamentation, and gesture are integrated into an image of strong devotional presence. The lower figure, situated beneath the architectural base, reinforces the hierarchical and sacred nature of the composition.

Due to its scale, material, and iconographic complexity, this sculpture constitutes an attractive example of Indian religious imagery from the 12th–13th centuries. Its provenance from a private Milanese collection adds documentary interest to a work that preserves the spiritual and ceremonial power characteristic of devotional sculpture from the Indian subcontinent.