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. 31Credit LineEugene Fuller Memorial Collection
Dimensions47 1/4 x 20 1/2 x 10 1/2 in.
MediumGray chlorite
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