SOUTH INDIA, CHOLA DYNASTY, 10TH/11TH CENTURY

细节

A Large Bronze Figure of Chandikeshvara
South India, Chola Dynasty, 10th/11th Century
Standing on a round plinth with his hands folded before his chest and holding a garland pressed between the palms of his hands, with broad shoulders and gracefully modeled limbs, wearing a short finely pleated dhoti, beaded necklaces and foliate armlets, his face with a serene expression with large almond-shaped eyes and strands of hair falling down on both shoulders terminating in elegant curls, with old wear forming an attractive patina
247/8 in. (63.1 cm.) high

拍品专文

Chandikeshvara is one of the sixty-four Shaivite saints revered in Southern India and the principal guardian of Shiva. During the Chola period, all Shiva temples had a separate subsidary shrine dedicated to Chandikeshvara as supervisor, usually on the northern side near the sanctum. Compare another 10th century example from the Tanjuvar district, cf. R. Nagaswamy, Masterpieces of Early South Indian Bronzes, 1983, cat. no. 39.