Uma-Maheshvara, a seated Shiva and Parvati (Uma) / Artist Unknown, India, Bengal
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About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1964/2.85
- Title
- Uma-Maheshvara, a seated Shiva and Parvati (Uma)
- Artist Nationality
- Indian
- Medium and Support
- bronze
- Object Creation Date
- 12th century
- Object Creation Place
- Asia (continent)
- India (nation)
- West Bengal (state)
- Creation Place 1
- Asia (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- India (nation)
- Creation Place 3
- West Bengal (state)
- Dimensions
- 12.5 cm x 9.5 cm x 6.3 cm (4 15/16 in. x 3 3/4 in. x 2 1/2 in.)
- Century
- 12th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Sculpture
- Primary Object Type
- figure
- Secondary Object Classification
- Ritual Objects
- Secondary Object Type
- figure
- Physical Description
- Shiva sits with his consort on a double lotus pedestal. He has six arms, his right three are in varada mudra [a giving gesture], holds a rosary and an arrow. His left arms cup his consorts left breast and hold a lotus flower and a bow. He sits in royal ease, with one leg pendant. He wears bracelets, armlets, necklaces, earrings, and a sacred thread that stretches form his left shoulder down past his waist. On his head he wears an elaborate jatamukuta, a crown interlaced with his matted locks. Parvati sits upon his knee with one leg tucked under her and the other pendant. She is also adorned with jewelry, but wears a more modest diadem at the front of her head.
- Subject Matter
- To complement Shiva’s character as an ascetic, he is also a husband and lover. His consort is known by various names, in this case as Parvati, the daughter of the Himalaya. Both the Pala dynasty in the northeast and the Cola dynasty in the south developed sophisticated traditions of bronze sculpture featuring this ideal couple. In this small but exquisite bronze from the northeast, the artist depicts Shiva and Parvati in animated and intimate conversation.
- Secondary Keywords
- associated concepts
- descriptors
- figures
- hindu
- metal
- named gods and goddesses
- object genres
- object genres by material
- people
- people (agents)
- people and culture
- people and occupations
- people by state or condition
- religion
- religions
- religions and religious concepts
- religious concepts
- subject matter
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 587 x 603
- File Size
- 35 KB
- Record
- 1964/2.85
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1964-sl-2.85/1964_2.85.jpg
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- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1964-SL-2.85:1964_2.85.JPG
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"Uma-Maheshvara, a seated Shiva and Parvati (Uma); Artist Unknown, India, Bengal." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1964-sl-2.85/1964_2.85.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 30, 2024.