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Shiva as Chandrashekhara (Lord of the Crescent Moon). Southern India (probably Tamil Nadu), Chola period, 10th century. Bronze, 25 in. (63.5 cm) high. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Asian Art Council and other donors in honor of Amy G. Poster, 2007.2
Bronze icons made under the reign of southern India’s Chola dynasty are highly prized for their sensuous idealization of the human form. This figure of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, portrays the deity’s power through his broad shoulders, strong legs, and four lively hands. Chandrashekhara is a form of Shiva worshipped primarily in southern India; the name derives from the thin crescent moon that decorates the front of the god’s signature coiffure of matted hair. The leaping stag and the battle-ax refer to the god’s role as lord of the animals and victor over all enemies.
We can tell that this image was used in worship because it is more worn on the front than on the back, the result of years of touching and anointing during temple rituals. Bronzes such as this one were also made for display in sacred processions: the holes in the base were used when securing the image to a litter or parade float.
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Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum