Untitled

Unknown

7th–8th century · Bronze · Asian Art

Shiva can be depicted as half male and half female to indicate the shakta-shakti relationship of the whole. Ardhanarishvara images are literal in their illustration of this unity. Here, the female side shows Parvati’s elegant hairstyle and long skirt, while the male side has Shiva’s mustache and third eye. Deaccessioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art for return to the Kingdom of Cambodia, 2023

Artist

Unknown

Date

7th–8th century

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Cambodia

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Enid A. Haupt, 1993