Enquiry about object: 7338
Fine Indian Village Brass Image of Shiva & Parvati
India, probably Maharashtra 18th century
height: 16cm, width: 8.9cm, depth: 6.1cm, weight: 357g
Provenance
UK art market
This fine tribal or village Indian Hindu bronze most probably is from Maharashtra and dates to the 18th century.
It shows two village deities – probably Shiva and Parvati – seated together beneath an arched aureole. Before them are small images of Nandi, Ganesh, a Shivalingam, and a cobra. 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 very fine village bronze. It is of good size, 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.
