Shiva with Uma and Bull
10th-11th century
Asia: Vietnam
On View

Champa was an ancient kingdom located in what is now Vietnam. The Cham people practiced both Hinduism and Buddhism. This sculpture represents Shiva with his bull mount, Nandi, and his wife Uma—all of whom are important deities in the Hindu pantheon. An interesting feature is the bell-shaped canopy behind the figures. This likely represents a linga, a phallic emblem associated with Shiva that symbolizes his cosmic energy. An example of a freestanding linga is exhibited across the gallery from this sculpture.

Details

  • Title: Shiva with Uma and Bull
  • Date: 10th-11th century
  • Medium: Sandstone
  • Dimensions: 24-1/4 x 18 x 7 in. (61.6 x 45.7 x 17.8 cm)
  • Credit Line: The Norton Simon Foundation
  • Accession Number: F.1975.13.4.S
  • Copyright: © The Norton Simon Foundation

Object Information

  • Pal, Pratapaditya, Asian Art: Selections from the Norton Simon Museum, fig. 20 pp. 74-75
  • Pal, Pratapaditya, Asian Art at the Norton Simon Museum, Volume 3: Art from Sri Lanka & Southeast Asia, 2004, no. 187 pp. 226, 238-239
  • Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, 2010, cat. 1198 p. 382
  • ed. Ellen M. Raven and Gerda Theuns-de Boer, Reading Siva, 2021, Figure 23 p. 43
  • ed. Ellen M. Raven and Gerda Theuns-de Boer, Reading Siva, 2021, Figure 95 p. 492
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