Goddess Shridevi, Consort of Vishnu

This granite sculpture from 11th-century Madurai, Tamil Nadu, depicts Shridevi (Lakshmi), the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity, in her role as Vishnu's consort. The Chola period (9th-13th centuries) produced some of the finest Hindu sculpture ever created, and this piece demonstrates the refined proportions and detailed carving typical of that tradition. Shridevi typically holds lotus flowers symbolizing purity and spiritual power.

In temple architecture, she would have been part of a triad alongside Vishnu and Bhudevi (the Earth goddess). Granite sculptures like this filled deep niches in Chola temple walls and gates, complementing the more famous bronze processional images. The Chola sculptural canon set the standard for South Indian Hindu iconography still followed today. The piece is at the Art Institute of Chicago.