The Cholas of the South were not only an exceptionally well-ruling dynasty but also sincere lovers of art. It is owing to their patronage that bronze sculpture flourished the way it did since having been brought into existence by the earlier Pallava dynasty rulers.
To this day, the contemporary bronze artisanry of South India bears the hallmarks of classical preferences, and the work of art that you see on this page is no exception to this rule.
A tall and slender Ardhanarishvara, the fusion of Lord Shiva into His Devi Parvati. Long limbs and a finely sculpted torso, sharp and angular on one side, soft and curvaceous on the other. The perfect asymmetry of the adornments, the befitting dichotomy of tiger-skin loincloth versus silken floor-length dhoti. A perfectly round face that bears a composure of equanimity and omnivolence. Ardhanarishvara is the deified image of the purusha-prakrti confluence that leads to srshti (creative projection) as we perceive it (drshyam).
So much about this Ardhanarishvara sculpture betrays the Southern artisanry. The tapering crown that towers atop the deity’s head. The wide-set brow and the sharp features of the face. The signature karnakundalas. Finally, the statement pedestal comprises two layers of lotus petals attached to each other at the pistil. Note how the moss-coloured undertones of the work lend to it an aura of the ancient.
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