Depicting the face of Śiva, a śaivite cult object, India, 17th - 19th century - Lost wax bronze casting - India - Maratha Empire (1674-1818)

Bronze Mukhaliṅga depicting the face of Śiva, a śaivite cult object made using lost wax casting.

This bronze depicts a mukhaliṅga, that is, a small liṅga topped with the face of Śiva, intended for ritual worship within a Śaivite sanctuary. The truncated conical shape of the base, hollow inside, alludes to the aniconic liṅga, while the upper part, modeled as a bust with a head and a conical headdress culminating in a pointed apex, represents the anthropomorphic aspect of the deity. The full and simplified face, the barely suggested closed eyes, the prominent nose, and the protruding ears, along with traces of dark pigment in the engravings, point to a popular handcrafted tradition from peninsular India (Deccan or South India), where metal mukhaliṅga are documented from the medieval period. The lost-wax casting technique, evident in the internal cavity and the slightly irregular surface, combined with the patina of use and consistent wear, suggests a plausible dating between the 17th and 18th centuries.