Shiva as Vanquisher of the Three Cities (Shiva Tripuravijaya)

Shiva as Vanquisher of the Three Cities (Shiva Tripuravijaya)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This majestic image of Shiva as the supreme victor over the Three Cities of the demons is one of the greatest realizations of this regal form of Shiva as the destroyer of evil, a masterpiece in the corpus of imperial quality devotional bronze icons produced under Chola patronage. This work may be assigned to the peak of imperial Chola production under Rajarajachola I or his immediate successors. Infused with all the majesty of a conquering king, this form of Shiva was much revered by the Chola rulers, as both their spiritual protector and as a divine role model for their imperial ambitions.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Shiva as Vanquisher of the Three Cities (Shiva Tripuravijaya)Shiva as Vanquisher of the Three Cities (Shiva Tripuravijaya)Shiva as Vanquisher of the Three Cities (Shiva Tripuravijaya)Shiva as Vanquisher of the Three Cities (Shiva Tripuravijaya)Shiva as Vanquisher of the Three Cities (Shiva Tripuravijaya)

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.