The god ‘Bhairava’, a ‘cruel’ incarnation of the god Shiva is worshipped in India and Nepal by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains alike. He acts as enemy to all ‘evil’, as the guardian of all temples and as a protector of people, especially women. The present Bhairava relief, made of hard, brown wood and partly crafted in three dimensions, displays the god with four arms, a large (flaming) aureole behind his head, the sign of Shiva on the forehead, round, protuberant eyes and fangs jutting out of his mount on the left and right. Both upper arms and hands carry a protective Naga snake (a cobra) each. Similar Naga snakes also hang on both sides of the figure from his belt to the ground. Bhairava is richly adorned, with a diadem, ear, neck and pectoral ornamentation, a belt, as well as bracelets and anklets. With his lower right hand he beats a double-cone, double-headed drum (‘Damaru’), which he holds with the lower left hand. He stands on a plinth with a lotus flower relief on the front. A carver’s symbol is incised into the wood on the smooth reverse side (a type of signature).
The red number ‘23’ was perhaps painted on later by a local art dealer. Two cones protrude upwards from the object, it is with these that the Bhairava relief would be attached to the wall of a temple or a cult wagon (perhaps in South India). There is some erosion on the upper right fixing cone and on the lower edge behind, as well as some small, minor pieces broken off and some slight cracks due to age. Otherwise it is in good condition with no significant damage.
Dimensions: 54 cm x 26 cm x 13 cm.
19th century to around 1900.

Provenance:
From the private collection of the celebrated actor Sieghardt Rupp (1931–2015). (ME)