Ravanagrihamurti (Shiva subdues the demon Ravana)
ca. mid to late 9th century
Shiva and Parvati, each bedecked with jewels and nimbus, sit in royal ease on top of Mount Kailasa. The mountain throne of the gods is symbolized here by a circular, three-tiered platform decorated with tree motifs, serpents, a bird and an animal, all representing the flora and fauna of the mountain. Below is Ravana, an enemy of the gods who has been imprisoned in the netherworld by the weight of Shiva's mountain. In an effort to break free, Ravana shakes the mountain, causing a quake which alarms Parvati. Glancing downward, she turns to Shiva for reassurance while he calmly presses down with his foot to hold the mountain secure. The tranquility and harmony of the godly world prevail. The image's rectilinear shape and small size suggest that it was probably part of the wall decoration of a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva.
Sandstone
21 x 17 in. (53.34 x 43.18 cm)
Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection
67.134
Provenance: [William H. Wolff, Inc., New York]; purchased from gallery by Seattle Art Museum (Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection), March 28, 1966, accessioned 1967
