Public domain

Reclining bull

anonymous · c. 1000 - c. 1200 · steen (materiaal)

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

All the gods in the Hindu pantheon have animal mounts that share character traits with their riders. Shiva’s mount is a bull, the symbol of power and virility. This bull is richly decked out as befits an animal ridden by a deity. It was probably positioned in a small pavilion facing the main temple, with its head pointing towards the deity.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description

Subjects

sculpture figure bull

Credit lineLiggende stier. c. 1000 - c. 1200. anonymous. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.

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