This painting depicts Dashavatara of Vishnu or the ten incranations of Lord Vishnu. One of Vishnu's famous incarnations, Rama, is depicted in the centre as the ten incarnations are placed in a circle around this central image. Each incarnation is placed within a niche, a typical canopied structure found as a leitmotif in most Tanjore style paintings. Here in this painting, the conch and the discus, symbols of Vishnu's weapons are depicted in the centre implying identifiable cultic affiliations. Tanjore paintings of this kind adorn personal altars and are donated to temples as well.
