This openwork finial depicts an antique Khmer style mounted wood Shiva riding his mount Nandi from Cambodia. This magnificent sculptures represents Shiva in the classic Angkor Wat style. Shiva is regarded as limitless, transcendent, unchanging and formless. He is the patron god of yoga, meditation and art. Nandi is the traditional Bull mount of Shiva. It's great size is typical of the sculpture carved for Suryavarman II's capital city of Angkor Wat. Shiva is clothed in a sampot can kpin and his twisted hair is arranged in horizontal rows to form a cylindrical jatamukuta that is surrounded by his diadem in typical Angkor Wat style. The eyebrows, depicted by a continuous ridge that runs across the forehead, a beard and a moustache define his face. The inner rims of the ears are scalloped, replete with pendulous jewellery. Shiva holds a lotus bud in his right hand. In his left hand he holds a Trident or Trishula, a divine symbol and principle iconography of the Hindu religion. The three points of the trishula have various meanings and significance, and, common to the Hindu religion, have many stories behind them. They are commonly said to represent various trinities—creation, maintenance, and destruction; past, present, and future; body, mind and atman; dharma or dhamma (law and order), bliss/mutual enjoyment and emanation/created bodies; compassion, joy and love; spiritual, psychic and relative; happiness, comfort and boredom; pride, repute and egotism; clarity, knowledge and wisdom; heaven, mind and earth; soul, fire and earth; soul, passion and embodied-soul; logic, passion and faith; prayer, manifestation and sublime.The bull, Nandi, is shown with a jewelled necklace. The details of Nandi are intricately carved with a jewellers precision.Shiva is surrounded by a flaming aureole, symbolising his divinity. He is mounted to a wood base. Given the nature of the piece a wooden crate will be prepared to ensure safe shipping. The cost of which is included in our price. The carving is beautiful as you can see in the fine details of the faces. Each detail is rendered perfectly. Medium: Wood Dimensions: 105cm/42” General Condition: Good condition. Consistent with age. SCWO658 For more beautiful Asian Art please also visit our website - HDAsianArt.com