Marble Sculpture of Shirdi Sai Baba

$835
Item Code: XF22
Specifications:
White Marble Sculpture
Height: 14 inch
Width: 7 inch
Depth: 6.75 inch
Weight: 10.36 kg
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
Shipped to 153 countries
Shipped to 153 countries
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
This spiritual statue, a manifestation of the timeless spirit rather than the representation of a perishable frame : the body that housed it, visualizes Shirdi’s Sai Baba, a human-born divinity of recent days : who walked the earth and the highest skies together, with millions of devotees and hundreds of temples dedicated to him across the world. Sai Baba did not propound a philosophy nor is known to have ever talked of a dogma or sect. Himself full of compassion, faith and unshakable patience he asked his devotees to have faith in Him Who is One and be patient and they would have a feel of His bounties. Sai Baba is believed to have lived on alms like a ‘fakir’, talked like a human being, as much like a Hindu as like a Musalman or anyone, and died leaving behind thousands of eyes with tears in them. If old beliefs that God visits the earth whenever her inhabitants need Him most are true, Sai Baba is the example of such divine visit. In this era of disharmony and of a divided mankind, tensions, disappointments, failures, unfulfilled desires … the name of Sai is the spiritual balm and salvation from them.

A human-born Sai Baba’s parentage, name of birth-place, or its date, anything in regard to his early childhood, education or other biographical details are not known. Shirdi, an integral part of Sai’s life-journey and now almost synonymous of him, was his spiritual home and the place of his emergence, however, from where he emerged nobody knows. As the story of his life goes, one day, in 1858, a local resident of Shirdi Bhagat Mhalasapati saw a young and quite handsome fakir seated on the steps of Khandoba temple, just on Shirdi’s outskirt. Though with nothing in mind to talk on, Bhagat’s attention was drawn to the young fakir’s divine aura and lustre on his face and he spontaneously addressed him as ‘Oh Sai’, giving a nameless fakir a name for ever after Sai, a Persian term meaning a sage – just a common noun, was his name for ever. Whatever his epithets, Sai is his name ever since.

The incident also gave him his primary motif. Bhagat noticed the young fakir entering into the Khandoba temple. Noticing that he was a Musalman he stopped him from entering the temple. Sai obeyed but found in it the purpose of his life : to rise and lead people to rise above narrow barriers that conservatism created. His humility further impressed Bhagat. As goes a commonplace, the moment Bhagat said that he could not enter the temple for being a Musalman Bhagat saw from inside the scarf that the young fakir tied on his forehead a ‘tri-punda’, the mark of Shaivite sectarian identity. There prevails also a tradition that reveres Baba as Lord Shiva’s incarnation. Sai prayed for all beyond castes and creeds, did not accept barriers but also did not condemn any. He believed in God’s unity and oneness, called him by any name : Allah or whatever, but held in great reverence the gods of different pantheons, Hindu in particular. He celebrated festivals venerated in different religious traditions and was not an iconoclast.

A magnificent work of art this marble image has reflection of Baba’s transcendental being. In a tough medium like marble in the milky translucence of which details usually dilute the sculptor has wondrously carved each one with rare precision and clarity : each hair of his beard, wrinkles on his face, dimples-like welled cheeks and the surging folds of his gown. The pressure on the forehead just above the eyes, as when in some deep concern the forehead is downwards rolled, has been wondrously chiseled. Perhaps in pursuance of the Bhagat’s commonplace, the sculptor has carved Baba’s head and forehead as covered with a scarf but finely chiseled this scarf does not hide the ‘tri-punda’ mark on Baba’s forehead. Except a camera photograph claimed to represent Baba’s real likeness, the portrayal of his likeness has been merely imaginative or imitative; however, the artist of this statue has been quite realistic in rendering various parts. With the age the ankle bones usually bend, the same as represents this statue. The divine figures are believed to have elongated ears and taller arms. The sculptor has used the same standards for the iconography of his statue. The statue’s painting part with soft lemon yellow for gown and a deep magenta line with gold band for border is equally brilliant.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.

How to clean and maintain marble statues?


Marble has been a preferred material for sculptors and artists for more than a thousand years. It is a rock that undergoes metamorphism which causes recrystallization of the original carbonate mineral grains. Marble comes in various colors, designs, and dimensions. Pure white marble is the most preferred type of marble for making sculptures and statues since time immemorial. White marble is especially used for sculpting stone monumental sculptures since ancient times. The natural shine and luster of the carbonate crystals of white marble give a lavish and beautiful appearance to the statue.

 

Marble stone statues are highly durable and can even withstand harsh weather conditions without getting corroded, therefore, they can be kept indoors or outdoors without getting damaged or weathered. Although these statues can last for many decades, their regular care and cleaning are essential to increase their longevity and beautiful appearance.


  • The simplest and basic way of cleaning a marble stone statue is to clear away dirt accumulated on the surface. Outdoor statues are especially prone to biological growth and dirt build-up that may take away their natural beauty. You may rinse the statue with warm water and mild soap to clean the dirt as much as possible. You can use a sponge or cotton cloth to scrape off dirt accumulated in crevices and cracks.

 

  • You must never allow water to stand on the surface of the statue for a long time. Standing water gets absorbed by the marble’s porous surface which results in its discoloration. Therefore, it is always recommended to dry-clean the statue with a towel or damp cloth.

 

  • Applying beeswax, a non-toxic product, on the surface of the marble statue offers protection against staining, dirt, and pollutants. It also polishes the surface and gives a natural shine to the statue.

 

Marble statues need periodical cleaning to maintain their flawless look. However, harsh and deep cleaning can result in making the statue look dull. If your marble statue is withering away, it is recommended to take the help of a professional cleaner. Marble is a delicate material and therefore needs proper care.

Marble Mastery Unveiled: The Artisan's Symphony in Sculpting Timeless Beauty

Marble is a soft and delicate metamorphic rock derived from limestone. It is composed mainly of recrystallized carbonate minerals. The appealing appearance of marble gives rise to the making of beautiful sculptures and statues. Jaipur city of Rajasthan, India, is considered the capital of marble carving where various marble idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses are made. These magnificent statues are carved by skilled sculptors out of the purest white marble. The slight softness of white marble makes it easier to be carved and chiseled into any desirable form or shape. Another impressive feature of marble is that the calcite has a low refractive index that allows light to penetrate the stone before getting scattered out. This results in bringing a translucent appearance and luster to the marble sculpture. This is the reason why most sculptors prefer to work with marble for sculpting life-size statues that require intricate details, evoking a certain realism to the work.

There is a detailed or step-by-step process of developing the desired structure of a sculpture from marble stone. These steps are:

1. Clay mould

Most sculptors prefer to sculpt a preliminary model out of clay or wax to translate its complex and intricate details into the final stone sculpture with the use of calipers or a pointing machine. The plasticity of the clay mould helps sculptors capture the success of the final sculpture before carving the stone. The clay is moulded into the desired shape or form and this acts as a rough
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2. Roughing out

The second step of carving or sculpting is to remove large portions of unwanted marble stone. This task is done by using a special tool known as a point chisel. The pointed end of this tool is useful for splitting the large stone and removing big chunks that are not wanted. Usually, a mallet (a tool similar to a hammer) is used to transfer energy through the chisel to shatter the stone evenly and accurately.
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3. Refining the figure

Once the sculptors have determined the general shape of the sculpture, a toothed chisel or claw chisel is used to refine the stone. These tools create parallel lines in the stone to add texture to the figure. During this stage, the rough block of stone has now changed into the general shape of the sculpture.
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4. Adding the details

The sculptor is now ready to carry out detailed work to develop a more refined form of the sculpture. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are then used to enhance the shape into its final form. These tools finely create details such as frills or folds of clothing or locks of hair.
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5. Polishing

This is the last step in marble sculpting in which the sculptor uses materials such as sandpaper to bring out a natural sheen to the sculpture. The sandpaper is rubbed against the surface to make it smoother and flawless. Sometimes, tin oxide is also used to make the sculpture appear glossy and more translucent.
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Marble sculptures are highly durable and can last for many decades if maintained and taken care of properly. They are also extremely weather-resistant and therefore, can be kept outdoors or indoors. The exquisite beauty of marble statues elevates the aura of the space and emanates positivity all around.
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