186 - SHIVA AND PARVATI BRONZE INDIA 16TH CENTURY

SHIVA AND PARVATI BRONZE INDIA 16TH CENTURY Dimensions: Height 9 cm Wide 5,7 cm Depth 4 cm Weight: 299 grams A finely cast bronze group of Shiva seated in lalitasana with Parvati upon his left thigh. Shiva is shown with four arms, the principal right hand raised in abhaya mudra while another hand carries an axe; Parvati sits close beside him holding a lotus bud. Both deities wear tall crowns, jewellery and carefully indicated garments. The intimate composition represents the divine union of Shiva and Shakti, complementary male and female principles whose conjunction signifies cosmic completeness and creative energy. The protective abhaya gesture adds a direct devotional dimension to the group. The figures are compressed into a balanced, self-contained form suited to a domestic shrine. A warm brown patina, areas of wear and surface accretions soften the details without diminishing the tenderness and clarity of the paired composition.