Shree Shanker (Shiva in meditation)
Shiva is depicted here as radiant young man in deep meditation. He wears a double-strand rosary of rudraksha seeds while a cobra affectionately entwines itself around his neck. His hair falls across his shoulders whilst braids are piled up into a conical bun, adorned with a chain of jasmine and a sprig of rudraksha leaves. The goddess Ganga emerges from his chignon in the form of a slender stream of water (evoking the Descent of Ganga myth), that arches skyward, mimicking the crescent moon, much loved by Shiva, which also appears on his forehead. Narottam Narayan Sharma was the most famed of the Nathdwara community of artists engaged in painting for commercial presses.
Artwork Details
- Title: Shree Shanker (Shiva in meditation)
- Artist: Narottam Narayan Sharma (Indian, active 1930s–1950s)
- Date: ca. 1940
- Culture: India
- Medium: Photo-offset lithograph
- Dimensions: Image: 19 7/8 × 13 3/4 in. (50.5 × 34.9 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Richard Greenbaum Fund, 2024
- Object Number: 2024.456
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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Narottam Narayan Sharma
1935
Narottam Narayan Sharma
1934–40
S. Muruyakani
mid-20th century
Brijbasi Printers
1950s
Shinoda Tōkō
1982
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