Shiva Ardhanarisvara 1795 - 1805

This is a painting of Shiva Ardhanarisvara, made by an anonymous artist using opaque watercolor on paper. The smoothness and luminosity of the work are products of the meticulous techniques used in its creation. This involved layering thin washes of pigment, each allowed to dry before the next was applied. This demanded a high degree of patience and control, a meditative approach to the application of color. Consider the relationship between the labor involved and the final effect. The artist's effort is not immediately visible, as in an oil painting with brushstrokes. Instead, we are presented with a refined, almost ethereal image. This reflects a very different set of cultural values, one that emphasizes the dissolution of ego through devotional practice. The result is an aesthetic of serenity and contemplation. The artist's choice of materials and techniques is inseparable from the painting's spiritual meaning. The work challenges Western expectations about what art should be, blurring the lines between craft and fine art.