Shiva Nataraja
Shiva in his manifestation as Nataraja, King of the Dancers, is one of the most popular Hindu icons. One of the most impressive and important images of the Nataraja is preserved at the Rijksmuseum (AK-MAK-187) and served as an inspiration for the present project.
About the project
Countless publications have been devoted to the topic of the Nataraja, but many questions remain open. This project connects seven international scholars, specialists in various fields of Indology, each of whom attempts to present a fresh look on the Nataraja theme. As a result, old views are checked and challenged, and new ideas are being born.
Aim of the project
We wish to address some areas hitherto untouched by scholars in the hope to explain at least some of the mysteries surrounding the most famous icon of the dancing Shiva. The new research will add greatly to the already existing scholarship on the Nataraja.
Related publications
- ‘Nataraja Revisited’ [working title], ed. by A. Ślączka; forthcoming 2021, Leiden/Boston: Brill.
This volume of seven essays, preceded by an Introduction, spans multiple fields, including art history, iconography, ritual studies, linguistics, epigraphy and technology of metal casting. The essays, despite being diverse in methodology and source material, are organized around a single theme: the Nataraja. All the essays present new research material.
staff
Anna Slączka
a.slaczka@rijksmuseum.nl
Curator of Asian Art