Pendant with Matsya (fish incarnation of Vishnu) defeating Hayagriva (1800s): Art, History and Details

Pendant with Matsya (fish incarnation of Vishnu) defeating Hayagriva (1800s) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Three emeralds and many pearls surround the central part of this pendant, which features a scene from the life of Matsya at the center. The fish incarnation of the preserver god Vishnu, Matsya appears in the middle, defeating the demon Hayagriva, who emerges from a shell, grasping him by the hair. Encircling the battle are plants, flowers, and designs indicative of ocean waves. The four-headed god Brahma also watches from the left side. Below the main scene, two smaller teardrop-shaped ornaments hang down. They feature scenes of predator birds, which may allude to the courtly falcon hunts of rulers.

Object facts

• Title: Pendant with Matsya (fish incarnation of Vishnu) defeating Hayagriva
• Date: 1800s
• Culture: Northwestern India, Rajasthan Pratapgarh
• Type: Jewelry
• Technique: gold, enamel, emeralds, and pearls
• Dimensions: Overall: 11.8 x 5.8 cm (4 5/8 x 2 5/16 in.)
• Collection: Indian Art
• Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
• Accession number: 1916.119

A detail from the museum

In Matsya’s upper hands he holds two of Vishnu’s implements: the mace and the lotus.

Collection credit

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.