SOUTH INDIA, TAMIL NADU, VIJAYANAGARA OR NAYAKA PERIOD, 17TH CENTURY

This powerfully-cast bronze statue depicts Shiva in a meditative pose. One of his hands faces upwards, forming the abhayamadra, the gesture of protection and reassurance. The other hand, facing downwards, forms the varadamudra, the gesture of wish-granting. Shiva is framed by two key symbols, his battle-axe and the antelope, representing his dominion over the natural world. Despite the fact that he is an ascetic, Shiva is, in the present work, depicted like a prince, with long, drooping earlobes suggesting the presence of heavy earrings. His body is lavishly decorated with armbands and jewelry, further cementing his royal authority.
The present bronze dates to the late Vijayanagara or early Nayaka, a period of prolific artistic output. The Vijayanagara style was greatly influenced by the preceding Chola Dynasty, famed for its extravagant temples and naturalistic, vibrant bronzes. While later Vijayanagara bronzes are similar to those of the Chola Period, the Vijayanagara figures are more stylized and less realistic. Vijayanagara bronzes are known for their sharp delineations between sections of the body, evinced here by the dramatically narrow waist separating the chest and abdomen. Additionally, the large, wide eyes and sharp, narrow nose are also typical of a bronze of this period.