c. 1840
The Holy Family Descending a Mountain
Artist/maker unknownImage 1 of 21 / 2
Many of Shiva's forms show the god as an outcast and a loner, but he is also a devoted family man. In this painting, Shiva is depicted in his typical tiger skin, with snakes and uncombed hair, illustrating his asceticism. Yet, he is surrounded by his family and friends as they descend from their home in the Himalayas. Shiva gently guides his wife Parvati down the steep mountain and carries their elephant-headed son Ganesha on his shoulder. In a dark cave at the bottom right, a tiny ascetic in meditation evokes Shiva's own ascetic nature. Outcast and family man may be contradictory identities, but Shiva is supreme and embodies all extremes.
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