A BRONZE FIGURE OF VIRABHADRA, 17TH-18TH CENT... Lot n° 293

A BRONZE FIGURE OF VIRABHADRA, 17TH-18TH CENTURY South India. Heavily cast, the four-armed deity standing in tribhanga on paduka sandals atop a circular lotus dais supported on a flat square base, holding in his hands a sword, bow, arrow, and shield. Wearing a diaphanous robe secured at the waist by a sash, a garland of skulls draped above the knees, and richly adorned with ornate jewelry. The face with large eyes and full lips, the hair piled into a conical jatamutaka. Provenance: French trade. Condition: Good condition with old wear, predominantly from years of worship within the culture, with some rubbing, casting flaws, small dents, tiny nicks, few minor losses. Fine, naturally grown patina overall. Weight: 832.8 g Dimensions: Height 15.7 cm Virabhadra, an incarnation of Shiva, created after Shiva’s wife Sati, was not invited to a great sacrifice given by her father Daksha. Being greatly humiliated, Sati went to the banquet and threw herself on the sacrificial fire. When Shiva heard of his wife’s death, he tore a hair from his head and threw it to the ground. Virabhadra, a great hero-warrior, arose from this hair. He cut off Daksha’s head in his rage and hurled it into the sacrificial fire. After the other gods calmed Shiva down, Daksha’s head was replaced by that of a ram and he later became a devotee of Shiva. Literature comparison: Compare a related bronze figure of Virabhadra holding his implements with similar wear, 13.3 cm high, dated to the 18th century, in the British Museum, accession number 1978,1016.1. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s Paris, 11 December 2018, lot 91 Price: EUR 7,500 or approx. EUR 8,600 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A bronze figure of Virabhadra, South India, ca. 17th century Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, modeling, and manner of casting. Note the larger size (34.5 cm).