File:India statue of nataraja.jpg
Original file (1,704 × 2,272 pixels, file size: 1.16 MB, MIME type: image/jpeg)
This file is from Wikimedia Commons and may be used by other projects. The description on its file description page there is shown below.
Summary
DescriptionIndia statue of nataraja.jpg |
English: Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC.
Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja), Chola period (880-1279), ca. 11th century Tamil Nadu, India Copper alloy; H. 26 7/8 in. (68.3 cm); Diam. 22 1/4 in. (56.5 cm) Gift of R. H. Ellsworth Ltd., in honor of Susan Dillon, 1987 (1987.80.1) If a single icon had to be chosen to represent the extraordinarily rich and complex cultural heritage of India, the Shiva Nataraja might well be the most remunerative candidate. It is such a brilliant iconographic invention that it comes as close to being a summation of the genius of the Indian people as any single icon can. Sculptures of Shiva dancing survive from at least as early as the fifth century, but it was under the rule of the great Chola dynasty of southern India (880-1279) that the world-famous iconographic type evolved. The setting of Shiva's dance is the golden hall of Chidambaram, at the center of the universe, in the presence of all the gods. Through symbols and dance gestures, Shiva taught the illustrious gathering that he is Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer. As he danced he held in his upper right hand the "damaru," the hand drum from which issued the primordial vibrating sound of creation. With his lower right hand he made the gesture of "abhaya," removing fear, protecting, and preserving. In his upper left hand he held "agni," the consuming fire of dynamic destruction. With his right foot he trampled a dwarf like figure (apasmara purusha), the ignoble personification of illusion who leads mankind astray. In his dance of ecstasy Shiva raised his left leg, and, in a gesture known as the "gaja hasta," pointed to his lifted leg to provide refuge for the troubled soul. He thus imparted the lesson that through belief in him, the soul of mankind can be transported from the bondage of illusion and ignorance to salvation and eternal serenity. Encircling Shiva is a flaming body halo ("prabhamandala," or surrounding effulgence) that not only establishes the visual limits of this complex and dynamic composition but also symbolizes the boundaries of the cosmos. |
Date | |
Source | https://www.flickr.com/photos/rosemania/86746598/in/set-72057594048518296/ |
Author | Rosemania |
Licensing
- You are free:
- to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work
- to remix – to adapt the work
- Under the following conditions:
- attribution – You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
This image was originally posted to Flickr by rosemanios at https://www.flickr.com/photos/69275268@N00/86746598. It was reviewed on 28 June 2009 by FlickreviewR and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0. |
28 June 2009
Items portrayed in this file
depicts
30 December 2005
File history
Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time.
Date/Time | Thumbnail | Dimensions | User | Comment | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
current | 12:30, 28 June 2009 | 1,704 × 2,272 (1.16 MB) | FlickreviewR | Replacing image by its original image from Flickr |
Pages using this file
There are no pages that embed this file. There may be pages that link to this file without embedding it.
Metadata
This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it.
If the file has been modified from its original state, some details may not fully reflect the modified file.
Camera manufacturer | Canon |
---|---|
Camera model | Canon DIGITAL IXUS 400 |
Exposure time | 1/6 sec (0.16666666666667) |
F Number | f/2.8 |
Date and time of data generation | 18:19, 30 December 2005 |
Lens focal length | 7.40625 mm |
Orientation | Normal |
Horizontal resolution | 72 dpi |
Vertical resolution | 72 dpi |
Software used | QuickTime 7.0.4 |
File change date and time | 22:08, 14 January 2006 |
Y and C positioning | Centered |
Exif version | 2.2 |
Date and time of digitizing | 18:19, 30 December 2005 |
Image compression mode | 3 |
APEX shutter speed | 2.59375 |
APEX aperture | 2.96875 |
Maximum land aperture | 2.96875 APEX (f/2.8) |
Metering mode | Pattern |
Flash | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash suppression |
Color space | sRGB |
Focal plane X resolution | 8,114.2857142857 |
Focal plane Y resolution | 8,114.2857142857 |
Focal plane resolution unit | inches |
Sensing method | One-chip color area sensor |
Custom image processing | Normal process |
Exposure mode | Manual exposure |
White balance | Manual white balance |
Digital zoom ratio | 1 |
Scene capture type | Standard |