A RARE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF SHIVA AND SKANDA, ANGKOR PERIOD Khmer Empire, 10^th - 12^th century. Carved as Shiva seated in lalitasana, holding his son Skanda on his knee, the left hand wrapping around the boy's body. The faces both with a serene and confident expression, gentle smiles below mustaches, their hair arranged in a conical topknot secured with a large foliate tiara, both dressed in a sampot covering the lower body.

Provenance: From an old Austrian private collection, Vienna.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion, some losses and nicks, scratches, few minor cracks. The head of Shiva and one corner of the plinth reattached with associated losses and minute remnants of adhesive.

Weight: 14.8 kg
Dimensions: Height 45.9 cm

Shiva, literally 'The Auspicious One', is one of the principal deities of Hinduism, known as 'The Destroyer' within the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity which also includes Brahma and Vishnu. In his benevolent aspects, he is depicted as an omniscient Yogi who lives an ascetic life on Mount Kailash as well as a householder with his wife Parvati and his two children, Ganesha and Skanda. In his fierce aspects, he is often shown slaying demons. Shiva is also regarded as the patron god of yoga, meditation and the arts.

Skanda, also known as Kartikeya, is the Hindu god of war, the son of Shiva and Parvati, hence the brother of Ganesha, and a deity whose legends have many versions in Hinduism.

Literature comparison:
There are closely related sandstone figures of Shiva and Uma, depicting uma-maheshvara, however, note that these always show Uma with a large breast, quite different from Shiva. The present lot depicts two figures with an equally small chest and two faces with mustaches. Thus, presumably, this sculpture represents Shiva and his first-born son Skanda. For comparison see a related sandstone figure of Shiva holding Uma, late 10^th century, Banteay Srei, Angkor, Cambodia, in the National Museum, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Compare also a related sandstone figure of Shiva and Skanda, 10^th century, in the collection of the National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.