Creative Commons License
Shiva and His Family
(India, Nepal, and Tibet)
Shiva, surrounded by his family, is both an ascetic practitioner of yoga (a yogi) and a loving husband and father. Wearing little beyond his serpents, jewelry, and prayer beads, he lifts a cup as his wife, the goddess Parvati, pours him a helping of bhang, a cannabis-based drink. Hindu deities are often depicted with the mounts on which they ride. The couple’s elephant-headed son, Ganesha, sits between Shiva’s bull and Parvati’s lion, while their second son, the six-headed Kumara, reaches up toward his peacock, offering it food or drink.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
John and Berthe Ford, Baltimore; given to Walters Art Museum, 2002.
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 7/28/2017 | Treatment | examined for exhibition; installed in climate package; media consolidation |
Geographies
India, Himachal Pradesh, Kangra (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 8 3/16 x W: 6 1/4 in. (20.8 x 15.88 cm); Framed H: 20 1/8 × W: 15 3/16 × D: 1 1/4 in. (51.12 × 38.58 × 3.18 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of John and Berthe Ford, 2002
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
W.907