Shiva and Parvati and Their Children Skanda and Ganesha
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.Shiva is shown sitting in the mountains of the Himalayas as an ascetic who has retreated from society. Still, he is surrounded by his family, including his wife, Parvati, who pours him a drink. Behind him, his multiarmed son Skanda gestures toward a peacock in a tree, which is his vehicle (vahana). Below sit a tiger and the bull Nandi, the vehicles of Parvati and Shiva, respectively. Placed in their midst is the elephant-headed figure of Ganesha, who serves as an intermediary between the viewer and Shiva. Rather than presenting Ganesha as an icon, this painting from the foothills of the Himalayas shows the god as part of a family narrative.
Artwork Details
- Title: Shiva and Parvati and Their Children Skanda and Ganesha
- Date: ca. 1775–1800
- Culture: India, Punjab Hills, Kingdom of Mandi or Kangra
- Medium: Opaque watercolor on paper
- Dimensions: Mat: 19 1/4 × 14 1/4 in. (48.9 × 36.2 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Lent by Steven Kossak, The Kronos Collections
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art