|
|
|
|
Gain access to this incredible resource through either a monthly or a yearly subscription and search the entire collection from your desktop, compare multiple images side by side and zoom into the minute details of the images. Visit www.davidrumsey.com/amica for more information on the collection, click on the link below the revolving thumbnail to the right, or email us at amica@luna-img.com . Creator Nationality: Asian; Indian Sub-Continent; Indian Creator Dates/Places: Eastern Indian Creator Active Place: Eastern Indian Creator Name-CRT: Eastern Indian Title: Shiva and Parvati (Uma-Maheshvara) View: Full View Creation Start Date: 800 Creation End Date: 899 Creation Date: Pala period, 9th century Creation Place: India Object Type: Sculpture Materials and Techniques: Copper alloy Dimensions: H. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm) AMICA Contributor: Asia Society Owner Location: New York, New York, USA ID Number: 1979.014 Credit Line: Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection Rights: http://www.asiasociety.org Context: From the 8th to 12th centuries, Bihar and Bengal--present-day West Bengal state and the nation of Bangladesh--were primarily under the control of the Pala family. Although Buddhism was an important religion in the Pala kingdom, Hinduism was also practiced in eastern India. This small bronze sculpture depicting the god Shiva and his wife Parvati illustrate the stylistic similarities between Pala Hindu and Buddhist art. Shiva and Parvati are seated on a soft cushion above a rectangular base that is probably intended to represent their heavenly home on Mount Kailasa. They are framed by a flaming halo. Shiva is identified by his vehicle, the bull Nandi, the crescent moon in his headdress, the tiger skin around his thighs, and by the trident encircled by a snake placed to his right. Parvati, who embraces Shiva with her right hand and holds a mirror in her left, is identified by her vehicle, the lion. The kneeling woman on the base represents either a generic devotee or the donor. Sculptures of this theme--which is commonly called Uma-Maheshvara after the two other names for Parvati and Shiva--emphasize the more benign and playful aspects of Shiva as well as his loving relationship with his wife and children. It is interesting that, as in this bronze, images of female donors are included in numerous Pala-period representations of this theme. Moreover, small bronze Shiva-Parvati images appear to have been more common than larger works in bronze or stone. Although little is known about the practice of Hinduism in eastern India during the Pala period, the predominance of female donors on small bronzes of this type suggest that the theme of Shiva and his family may have held some special significance for women and may have been a focus of private devotion rather than of temple worship. Related Document Description: Asia Society. Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection. New York: Asia Society, [1981], p. 12. AMICA ID: ASIA.1979.014 AMICA Library Year: 1998 Media Metadata Rights: Copyright, Asia Society AMICA PUBLIC RIGHTS: a) Access to the materials is granted for personal and non-commercial use. b) A full educational license for non-commercial use is available from Cartography Associates at www.davidrumsey.com/amica/institution_subscribe.html c) Licensed users may continue their examination of additional materials provided by Cartography Associates, and d) commercial rights are available from the rights holder. Home
| Subscribe
| Preview
| Benefits
| About
| Help
| Contact |
