Gold-Eyed Nandi Head

Nandi is a revered figure in Indian culture. As the mount of none other than Lord Shiva Himself, He is a rugged and powerful beast. Yet, His heart brims forth with love and devotion for Him and all that He presides over. In fact, He is to be found at the door of every Shiva temple or at the foot of most Shiva and Shivaparivar murtis. He has the strength and the resolve of a thousand earthly bulls. The sculpture you see on this page is the singular head of this extraordinary, divine animal.

It is sculpted from brass, and comes with a richly dyed finish. Note the well-defined silhouette: the sharp angle between the flat bones of the taurine face, the tender curvature of the ears, the powerful stature of the horns towering on either side. Against the charcoal of Nandi’s skin lies bands of tinkling gold shringar. The carefully sculpted eyes and horns are of the same gold colour. The bitone colour palette and the sharp silhouette make for a minimalistic devotional composition.