Shiva Ardhanarisvara, c. 1700-1750, 8 1/8 × 5 5/8 in. ( × cm) (image)25 3/4 × 21 3/4 × 1 in. ( × × cm) (outer frame), Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper, India, 18th century, In this hypnotic image, the Hindu god Shiva and his wife Parvati share one body, in the form known as Ardhanarisvara, ‘lord whose half is woman.’ It reveals Shiva as a symbol of his omnipotence, the seed and womb of all creation and destruction. Here, a razor-sharp vertical divides and unites the image, with the artist depicting the respective halves

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Size: 3743px × 5438px
Location:
Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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