Terms and conditions of use
Tree goddess, Shalabhanjika
(1150-1200)
- Medium
- chloritic schist
- Measurements
- 88.5 × 45.8 × 22.5 cm
- Place/s of Execution
- Karnataka, India
- Accession Number
- 540-D5
- Department
- Asian Art
- Credit Line
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1963
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Gordon Darling Foundation - Gallery location
- Level 1, NGV International
- About this work
-
The motif of woman and tree is found in Buddhist, Jain and Hindu art and represents the power of nature in an idealised Indian female form. These religions incorporated pre-existing beliefs in female nature spirits (yakshi) which became semi-divine beings, their images positioned in the temple at points of transition between every day and sacred spaces.