{"id":1055,"date":"2011-03-06T08:04:14","date_gmt":"2011-03-06T07:04:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daltonsomare.com\/?p=1055"},"modified":"2026-10-08T17:40:34","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T15:40:34","slug":"shiva-mahadeva","status":"publish","type":"opera","link":"https:\/\/www.daltonsomare.com\/en\/work-of-art\/shiva-mahadeva\/","title":{"rendered":"Shiva Mahadeva, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Period:<\/strong> Transitional Period Takuri, 11th century
\nMaterials:<\/strong> Gilt copper, glass
\nDimensions:<\/strong> 41 cm<\/p>\n

Provenance<\/h2>\n

Collection Ian Alsop, USA
\nCollection Mr. and Mrs. I. Meijer, Netherlands
\nPrivate Collection, Milan<\/p>\n

Exhibitions<\/h2>\n

Parcours des Mondes, Paris, 2024<\/p>\n

Publications<\/h2>\n

J. Van Alphen, Cast for Eternity<\/em>, Antwerp 2005, pp. 114\u2013115<\/p>\n

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Description<\/h2>\n

In Himalayan and Nepalese art<\/strong><\/a>, bodiless divine heads cast in metal or repouss\u00e9 form represent a well-established typology. Although often referred to as \u201cmasks,\u201d these objects were never intended to be worn, but functioned as independent sacred images. Comparable examples include Shiva head plaques from Himachal Pradesh and Bhairava images in the Kathmandu Valley.<\/p>\n

During religious festivals, these images were dressed and carried in procession, temporarily embodying the full presence of the deity. For the rest of the year, they were displayed in temples and shrines as objects of worship. The cult of Shiva, both creator and destroyer, has deep roots in the Kathmandu Valley. This devotion is centered on the Pashupati Temple and continues through daily offerings made by devotees.<\/p>\n

This image, attributed to the pre-Malla period, depicts Shiva in his benevolent aspect. He appears as a princely ascetic, serene and hieratic. The refined modelling and the use of gilt copper reflect the high technical level of 11th-century Nepalese metalwork.<\/p>\n

In this form, Shiva acts as protector of rural communities, closely linked to agricultural cycles. The image embodies a controlled and benevolent spiritual presence. Medieval Nepalese gilt copper sculptures are highly valued for their artistic and spiritual qualities. This example represents an important work from the pre-Malla period within the broader context of Himalayan art.<\/p>\n

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Further reading<\/h3>\n

Asian art<\/a>
\npublications<\/a>
\nmonthly highlights<\/a>
\nDalton Somar\u00e9 Gallery<\/p>\n

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Related Sculptures<\/h3>\n