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Lot Essay
As Vinadhara (the player of the vina), Shiva is the teacher of yoga, music, and all the arts and sciences. He expounds on the timeless principles of vocal and instrumental music, which is known to lead to liberation (moksha) without strain. In Indian philosophy, music is comparable to yogic practice in that both involve the control of breath, mental absorption, and the ultimate release from all obsessions of the mind.
In contrast to neighboring Tibet, which is and was completely devoted to the Buddhist faith, the population of Nepal was split amongst adherents of Hinduism and Buddhism - and in many cases a fair amount of mixing of the two. While images in bronze of Umamaheshvara from this period in Nepal are fairly common, the image of Shiva as Vinadhara with Parvati are very rare; compare with a smaller example from the 15th century from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Eric D. Morse (dated to the 17th century in P.Pal, Nepal: Where the Gods are Young, 1975, pp.91 and 127, fig.60 and U.von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, p.360, fig.96C). Both show the couple in the same pose and each with the same gestures. The present example is superbly executed with graceful modeling of all the figures – animals included – each idealized, as befitting their celestial status. Careful attention has been paid to every detail, such as the snakes that adorn Shiva, the naturalistic draping of Parvati’s dhoti and sashes, and the lifelike physiognomy of the bull and lion. This level of refinement combined with the large size, exquisite beauty, and state of preservation of all four figures makes this a very rare and important work surviving from early Nepal.
In contrast to neighboring Tibet, which is and was completely devoted to the Buddhist faith, the population of Nepal was split amongst adherents of Hinduism and Buddhism - and in many cases a fair amount of mixing of the two. While images in bronze of Umamaheshvara from this period in Nepal are fairly common, the image of Shiva as Vinadhara with Parvati are very rare; compare with a smaller example from the 15th century from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Eric D. Morse (dated to the 17th century in P.Pal, Nepal: Where the Gods are Young, 1975, pp.91 and 127, fig.60 and U.von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, p.360, fig.96C). Both show the couple in the same pose and each with the same gestures. The present example is superbly executed with graceful modeling of all the figures – animals included – each idealized, as befitting their celestial status. Careful attention has been paid to every detail, such as the snakes that adorn Shiva, the naturalistic draping of Parvati’s dhoti and sashes, and the lifelike physiognomy of the bull and lion. This level of refinement combined with the large size, exquisite beauty, and state of preservation of all four figures makes this a very rare and important work surviving from early Nepal.