The Hindu goddess at the center of this sculpture is Parvati, wife of the god Shiva. She is shown flanked by their two children and stands on Shiva’s bull, Nandi. On the left is the beloved elephant-headed god Ganesha, who controls obstacles, and on the right, Karttikeya, god of war. Parvati is more elaborately bejeweled than usual. And her face is not as idealized—usually it is a perfect egg shape. These deviations from the norm probably mean that it is a royal portrait of an actual queen. Such sculptures reflect the belief that kings and queens were human incarnations of the gods. At death, they returned to the deities from whom they originated. Unfortunately, this historical queen has not yet been identified.

Indonesian stone sculptures, especially ones that are as large and magnificent as this, are rare in American collections. The main figure is rather hieratic and stiff. But the carving of the subsidiary figures is exceptional, their details carefully thought out and beautifully rendered. Ganesha—on the left, for example, stands in an unusual position for him—a one-legged yogic posture. And in front, Nandi’s tail curves elegantly over his hind leg. He seems to wear a poignant expression on his face.

In Hinduism, many gods are worshipped, but Shiva is one of the most important. He is a great ascetic, who controls the forces of creation, preservation, and destruction. Through his marriage to Parvati, he is also viewed in a domestic context, humanizing him and making him more accessible to the worshipper.