Minneapolis Institute of Art

Shiva

India (Madhya Pradesh)

Date

late 10th century

Medium

Red sandstone

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Elegantly posed with jeweled festoons suspended from his belt, hanging ear ornaments, and an elaborately domed hair arrangement ( jatamukata ), Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and regeneration, is shown flanked by worshipful celestial couples. Shiva’s dynamic triple-bend pose ( tribhanga )—at neck, hips, and knees—is related to the prescribed motions and gestures of classical Indian dance. South Asian sculptors were less interested in strict anatomical accuracy than the portrayal of a flawless and supple divine body. This statue is probably from the exterior wall of a temple dedicated to Shiva.

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