shiva, chola bronze, c. 1050

Trident with Shiva as Half-Woman (Ardhanarishvara)

Archival Details

Chola-period bronzes were cast in South India, chiefly under the Chola dynasty (9th–13th century), using the lost-wax (cire perdue) process. Temple workshops in Tamil Nadu produced processional images of Shaiva and Vaishnava deities that were carried in festival rituals, and the tradition is widely regarded as a high point of Indian metal sculpture for its fluid modeling and iconographic precision.

Artwork Details

Artist

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund

Tradition

Chola Bronze

File

2189 × 2560 px · JPG · 479 KB

Accession no.

1969.117

From the Same Era

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