A RARE PILLAR WITH VISHNU AND LAKSHMIIndia, Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh, 11th-12th century. The carved red sandstone with full figural depictions of Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi, holding their typical attributes such as the disc, the whisk or the conch. Provenance: The Jack Zuberbühler Collection, Switzerland. Thereafter Austrian private collection.Condition: Fair condition with some wear and extensive weathering as well as losses as visible on the photos in the catalogue and online at . Beautiful, naturally grown patina. Modern base.Weight: 34.6 kilograms.Dimensions: Height 79 cm including the base and 60 cm without the base.Sculptures depicting the intimacy of Vishnu and Lakshmi were popular iconographic devices and usually ornamented large projecting niches on the exterior walls of medieval Indian temples.For a related sandstone stele, depicting two female figures, see Christies New York in ‘Indian, Himalayan and South East Asian Art’ on September 13th, 2017, lot 618.