Enquiry about object: 7337
Exceptional, Large, Indian Village Brass Image of Shiva & Parvati
India, probably Maharashtra 18th century
height: 20.3cm, width: 11.7cm, depth: 7.6cm, weight: 796g
Provenance
UK art market
This is one of the best tribal or village Indian Hindu bronzes that we have seen.
Most probably from Maharashtra and dating to the 18th century, it shows two village deities – probably Shiva and Parvati seated together under a superb and elaborate arched aureole. A kalasha vase serves as a finial. Before them are small images of Nandi, Ganesh, a Shivalingam, a cobra and a rooster. The group are on a tiered, rectangular dais.
Both Shiva and Parvati wear copious jewellery, and both wear tall, conical, tapering crowns.
See Harle & Topsfield (1987, p, 62) for a smaller and less elaborate example in the Ashmolean Museum.
Overall, this is a splendid village bronze. It is large, intricate and well composed. It is in excellent condition.
References
Aryan, S. & B.N. Ayran, Unknown Masterpieces of Indian Folk and Tribal Art, KC Aryan’s Home of Folk Art, 2nd & enlarged ed., 2016.
Aryan, S., Unknown Masterpieces of Himachal Folk Art, National Museum Delhi, 2019.
Harle, J.C. & A. Topsfield, Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum, Ashmolean Museum, 1987.
