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Siva Bhairava

Dateca. 13th century
Label TextIn this terrible and fearsome manifestation, Siva has matted hair, fangs, and wears a garland of skulls. He assumed this form when he severed the fifth head of Brahma, the Creator. This was the most heinous of sins, and Siva then wandered about with the severed head of Brahma clinging to his hand as his begging bowl. The sin was finally expiated by the sacred waters of the Ganges in Varanasi. Even in this sinister form, Siva has his right hand raised in the mudra, or gesture of reassurance.
Object number69.14
Provenance[William H. Wolff, Inc., New York]; purchased from gallery by Seattle Art Museum (Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection), 1969
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Washington State Convention and Trade Center, Lobby exhibit, beginning July, 2001Published ReferencesArchives of Asian Art. New York: Asia Society. Vol. XXIV, 1970-71, p. 115 Trubner, Henry and Rathbun, William J. Asiatic Art in the Seattle Art Museum. Seattle: Seattle Art Museum, 1973, p. 107, no. 31
Credit LineEugene Fuller Memorial Collection
Dimensions47 1/4 x 20 1/2 x 10 1/2 in.
MediumGray chlorite
Longquan ware
Chinese
Object number: 33.41
Tortoise and Serpent; The Black Warrior
Chinese
6th century
Object number: 33.9
Buddha and bodhisattva under arches
Pakistani
3rd-4th century
Object number: 44.55
Camel with pack
Chinese
early 6th century
Object number: 51.121
Photo: Paul Macapia
Pakistani
ca. 2nd-3rd century
Object number: 33.180
Dancing Siva
Indian
19th century
Object number: 58.43
Siva with attendants
Indian
11th-12th century
Object number: 69.15
Siva and Parvati
Indian
15th century - 16th century
Object number: 40.35
Siva killing the elephant demon
Indian
ca. 10th century
Object number: 68.119
Shrine; Siva and Parvati
Indian
17th century
Object number: 57.125
Photo: Scott Leen
1951
Object number: 2000.220