Vishnu statue - Copper - India - 18th - 19th century

This small bronze Vishnu statue, cast in the Tamil region of South India in the 18th-19th centuries, was a popular item among believers for home veneration or personal protection. Vishnu is one of the three principal deities of Hinduism, and this statue depicts him in his classic four-armed standing posture: the main hand is in the Abhaya Mudra (gesture of reassurance), symbolizing protection of all beings; the other three arms hold the Sudarshana Chakra (wheel of dharma), the Shankha (conch shell), and the Kaumodaki Gada (scepter), Vishnu's iconic ritual implements. The statue was cast using the traditional South Indian lost-wax casting method, resulting in simple, flowing lines and a warm, natural patina.