c. 1790-1800

Lakshmi-Narayana Enthroned (inward-facing side); Prayer to Vishnu and His Wife and Sketches of the God's Attributes (outward-facing side)

The carefully painted, inward-facing side of this cover depicts a lotus throne holding Vishnu and his wife Lakshmi; this combined representation is usually called "Lakshmi-Narayana." The outward-facing side has beveled edges, a short written prayer, and sketches of the god Vishnu's identifying objects-conch shell, lotus flower, circular chakra, and mace. The snubbed-nose faces suggest that this book cover was painted by the artist Bhagavan, whose name is inscribed on several eighteenth-century manuscripts probably made in the Kulu region of modern Himachal Pradesh, where some of his works were found.