Hindu God Shiva with the Goddess Parvati Artist: Unknown

ca. 1740–50

Asian Art

By appointment, Duffy Study Room

This four-armed manifestation of Shiva encircled by snakes represents one of his more terrifying avatars, most likely Bhairava, who protects the faithful from external dangers, such as enemies, and internal ones, such as greed and lust. In contrast to Shiva’s active pose, his consort, Parvati, also an independent deity who takes multiple forms, is quietly seated on his lap with her hands in a gesture of adoration.

Medium

Opaque watercolor on paper

Dimensions

sheet: 7 5/8 × 5 1/8 in. (19.4 × 13 cm)
image: 6 3/8 × 4 3/4 in. (16.2 × 12 cm)

Credit Line

Katharine Ordway Collection

Accession Number

1980.12.64

Geography

India

Culture

Indian, Punjab Hills, Chamba

Period

Rajput States (14th–19th century)

Classification

Paintings

Disclaimer

Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Provenance
Katharine Ordway (1899–1979), Weston, Conn.; bequeathed to the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Conn., 1980
Bibliography
  • Lesley K. Baier, The Katharine Ordway Collection, exh. cat. (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Art Gallery, 1983), 114, no. 99
Object copyright
No Copyright - United States
Additional information

Subject

Hindu flowers (plants) goddesses

Technical metadata and APIs

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