Kalki Avatar, the Future Incarnation of Vishnu

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sets of the avatars of Vishnu often precede manuscripts that concern one of his incarnations, but this page cannot be associated with any known set. Kalki is described as either a white horse or a warrior on a white horse. In paintings from the Punjab Hills he is usually shown, as here, in the guise of a groom leading a white horse to a seated warrior with blue skin, the color traditionally associated with Vishnu. Several elements—the use of beetle-wing cases to simulate emeralds, the patterning of the saddle blanket, the profile of the throne legs, and the almond-shaped eyes—imply a Basohli provenance. The visual description of the horse and groom suggests a date in the early eighteenth century, when the archaic poses of earlier works gave way to more naturalistic portrayals.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art