Shiva
1730
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1730
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Shiva is a 1730 paint by Unknown, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This figure sits cross-legged on a tiger skin, surrounded by animals—a lion and a tiger at its feet. It has four arms holding a sword, a drum, a trident, and a lotus flower. The face shows three eyes, and the hair is wild with a crescent moon on top. The background is green with birds flying around. This painting is part of a style that mixes bold colors and dramatic poses. The figure looks fierce but also calm, balancing many objects at once. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more paintings like this.
The opaque watercolor painting on paper portrays the five-faced form of Shiva seated on a stone pedestal, with one face turned away. The deity is adorned in a leopard skin and draped with an elephant’s head over his shoulder, while the heads of Nandi and a tiger flank the pedestal on either side. This depiction reflects the five-faced Shiva tradition that was venerated in Mandi under Raja Sidh Sen during the 18th century. The work is part of the Gayer-Anderson Collection.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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