The blissful beauty of urdhavatandava, carved in wood and finished in a varied colour palette. As opposed to the rudra tandava of Shiva, urdhavatandava conveys a gathered serenity. The murti that you see on this page depicts Lord Shiva amidst His urdhavatandava. The left foot presses down upon the back of Apasmara, while the right foot is raised along the front all the way up to His own head.
A rare image of the dadashabhujadhari (the one possessed of twelve arms) Shiva. The Himalayan ice complexion of His body, set off by the shimmer of the tiger skin around His loins. Dense dreadlocks of a washed out colour that flies about His face as he motions. The anteriormost hands He gathers at the base of the raised leg as He cups the damroo. Note the contrast of Apasmara’s form, the avidya-roopi one.
At the base of the flame aureole (prabhavali), flanking Apasmara, are the figures of Lord Krishna (Vishnu-roopa) and Lord Brahma (multi-headed) to the right and the left of Shiva, respectively. The presence of the complete trinity makes this an especially sacred composition. Note the sheer proportion of detail along the length of the prabhavali, including and especially the elaborate Kirtimkham at top of the prabhavali.
How to care for Wood Statues?
Wood is extensively used in sculpting especially in countries like China, Germany, and Japan. One feature that makes the wood extremely suitable for making statues and sculptures is that it is light and can take very fine detail. It is easier for artists to work with wood than with other materials such as metal or stone. Both hardwoods, as well as softwood, are used for making sculptures. Wood is mainly used for indoor sculptures because it is not as durable as stone. Changes in weather cause wooden sculptures to split or be attacked by insects or fungus. The principal woods for making sculptures and statues are cedar, pine, walnut, oak, and mahogany. The most common technique that sculptors use to make sculptures out of wood is carving with a chisel and a mallet. Since wooden statues are prone to damage, fire, and rot, they require proper care and maintenance.
It is extremely important to preserve and protect wooden sculptures with proper care. A little carelessness and negligence can lead to their decay, resulting in losing all their beauty and strength. Therefore, a regular clean-up of the sculptures is a must to prolong their age and to maintain their shine and luster.
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