THE FOURTH AVATARA OF VISHNU, NARASIMHA, SLAYING HIRANYAKASHIPU
Possibly Basohli or Rajasthan school in Basohli style, Northern India, late 19th - 20th century

Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, the horizontal composition depicting Narasimha, half-man and half-lion, in the centre of the scene slaying the evil king Hiranyakashipu, each arm holding one of his typical attributes, especially Vishnu's conch shell and spiky chakram, the deity flanked by two devotees, the scene set within black rules and bright red borders, mounted, glazed and framed, the painting 14.7cm x 21.5cm, 31.2cm x 43.5cm including the frame.