Narasimha, Vishnu’s Man-Lion Avatar

Narasimha, Vishnu’s Man-Lion Avatar

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In this extraordinary mask ensemble, the crowned head of Narasimha is accompanied by a body suit with six articulated arms. The stage presence of the actor who wore this ensemble, fully absorbed into the role of the ferocious man-lion avatar, would have been awesome when seen on the dimly lit stage during the all-night performance. The paint on this mask was refreshed each year for ritual use, and each forearm of the body suit has a cavity into which talismanic objects were sealed to enhance the efficacy of Narasimha’s representation on stage.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Narasimha, Vishnu’s Man-Lion AvatarNarasimha, Vishnu’s Man-Lion AvatarNarasimha, Vishnu’s Man-Lion AvatarNarasimha, Vishnu’s Man-Lion AvatarNarasimha, Vishnu’s Man-Lion Avatar

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.