Vamana and King Bali

ca. 1910

Not on view

Vamana is the fifth avatar (divine appearance) of the Hindu god Vishnu. According to Hindu mythology, the dwarf Vamana appeared after the gods had lost their power to the demon king Bali, who ruled the entire universe. One day, Vamana visited the court of Bali and requested as much land as he could step over in three paces. The king granted the request. Vamana then assumed a gigantic form and covered the whole earth in one step, the mid-world between earth and heaven in the second step. The demon king then lowered his head and asked Vamana to place his foot there for his third step. With the pressure of his foot, Vamana then sent Bali down to rule the underworld..

Artwork Details

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Title: Vamana and King Bali
Date: ca. 1910
Culture: India, Mumbai
Medium: Chromolithograph
Dimensions: Sheet: 13 7/8 × 9 3/4 in. (35.2 × 24.8 cm)
Image: 13 3/8 × 9 3/8 in. (34 × 23.8 cm)
Classification: Prints
Credit Line: Gift of John and Fausta Eskenazi, 2025
Object Number: 2025.269.8
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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