Accession Number
1998/1.181

Title
Standing figure of Shiva

Artist(s)
Indian

Artist Nationality
Indian (South Asian)

Object Creation Date
10th century - 11th century

Medium & Support
sandstone

Dimensions
16 1/8 in x 8 13/16 in x 3 9/16 in (41 cm x 22.4 cm x 9 cm);16 1/8 in x 8 13/16 in x 3 9/16 in (41 cm x 22.4 cm x 9 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mark and Iuliana Phillips


Label copy
March 28, 2009
The great Hindu god Shiva encompasses many aspects or personalities, as he has absorbed the conflicting identities of various deities over time. Here he is shown in his role as the divine ascetic, or yogi, unclad but for an animal skin about his loins, and matted hair piled high on his head. His erect phallus simultaneously indicates potency and self-control; it is through arduous practices of self-discipline that he has gained extraordinary powers. At the abstract level, the phallus represents procreative energy that is never exhausted; it is neither erotic nor pornographic to the Hindu viewer. This image, carved from the buff-colored sandstone typical of central India, has an especially graceful stance and sweet facial expression.
(Label for UMMA South and Southeast Asia Gallery Opening Rotation, March 2009)

Subject matter
The great Hindu god Shiva encompasses many aspects or personalities, as he has absorbed the conflicting identities of various deities over time. Here he is shown in his role as the divine ascetic, or yogin, unclad but for an animal skin about his loins, and matted hair piled high on his head. His erect phallus simultaneously indicates potency and self-control; it is through arduous practices of self-discipline that he has gained extraordinary powers. At the abstract level, the phallus represents procreative energy that is never exhausted; it is neither erotic nor pornographic to the Hindu viewer. This image, carved from the buff-colored sandstone typical of central India, has an especially graceful stance and sweet facial expression.

Physical Description
Shiva stands in an unbending pose and the sculpture is broken just below the knees. He is two-armed and his right hand is raised with his palm outward. His left arm is broken away. He wears a short lower garment with incised lines delineating folds and he is ithyphallic, his upraised penis extending up from behind his belt. He wears simple jewelry, a belt, armlets, a bracelet on the one wrist still extant and a simple beaded necklace. There is an auspicious diamond pattern in the middle of his chest. He has a fleshy face with a full mouth and large eyes, a third eye is incised on his forehead. His hair is done in an elaborate coiffure piled high.

Primary Object Classification
Sculpture

Primary Object Type
figure

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Figures
Hinduism
Shiva
Sivaism
standing