184 - SHIVA AND PARVATI ON ELEPHANT BRONZE INDIA 18TH CENTURY

SHIVA AND PARVATI ON ELEPHANT BRONZE INDIA 18TH CENTURY Dimensions: Height 17,6 cm Wide 7,5 cm Depth 12 cm Weight: 1336 grams A compact bronze group depicting Shiva and Parvati seated together upon a richly caparisoned elephant. Shiva sits behind his consort, crowned and adorned with jewellery, while surviving attributes include the trident and axe. The elephant is carefully modelled with ceremonial trappings, necklaces and a patterned saddle cloth, its descending trunk providing a strong visual anchor above the rectangular pedestal. The divine couple embodies the union of Shiva and Shakti, complementary principles of cosmic power. Their representation together carries associations of harmony, fertility and protection, while the elephant adds an unmistakable note of royal procession and auspicious strength. The dense composition is characteristic of portable devotional bronzes, where several figures and attributes are compressed into a small scale without sacrificing legibility. A deep brown patina with areas of wear highlights the relief and gives the sculpture a warm, handled surface.