Cleveland Museum of Art

Hoyshaleshvara Temple Sculpture, Halebidu (Halebeedu)

Richard Banner Oakeley

Date

1856–57

Medium

albumenized salt print from waxed paper negative

Culture

England, 19th century

Department

Photography

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

On the recommendation of a friend, Oakeley marched 20 days along treacherous country roads to locate the Hoyshaleshvara Temple in southwestern India. Finding it more beautiful than any other building he had seen in southern India, he framed his subject to capture a sense of the lavish number of vivid sculptures that enliven the temple's walls. At the right is the Hindu god Shiva with his wife, the goddess Parvati, seated on his mount, the bull Nandi. At the left, Shiva and Parvati are seated on Mount Kailasha, which a multiarmed demon is attempting to dislodge. Holysaleswara Temple is a magnificent example of Hindu architecture and sculpture begun during the first half of the 12th century.

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