Vishnu Riding on Garuda

Cleveland Museum of Art

The sculpture depicts Vishnu riding on Garuda. The sculpture is made of dark gray stone with a rough texture. The figure of Vishnu sits on the back of Garuda. Vishnu has a long neck, wears earrings, a necklace, and bracelets on both wrists. The figure has four arms; the upper right hand holds a bottle, and the upper left hand holds a cloth. The lower left hand touches the knee of the left leg, which is bent and raised. The lower right arm is raised, and the right leg is straight down. Garuda has wings on both sides and a beak-like nose. The wings are carved in detail and stretch out on both sides. There are two small figures on each side, below Vishnu's arms. The background sculpture is a fan-shaped carving. The background gradient is dark at the top and light at the bottom. The sculpture sits on a black base.