18th Century Hand Carved Wooden Corbel.  Hindu.  Temple.  Architectural.  Wenge Wood.  Sculpture. Tamil Nadu. India.

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Click the photo above for a larger version and more pictures

 

A stunning and sizable corbel hand carved in Wenge wood with a horse riding deity (most likely Shiva) and a subordinate horse below.  It reminds me of the monolithic pillars with sculptures of riders on the backs of wild horses  . . . trampling their enemies below.  Such sculptures are found in many temples around southern India such as the Sri Ranganathaswamy Dravidian Temple, Srirangam, state of Tamil Nadu.

 

I have seen many of these corbel, primarily from the 19th century but this is the first I have been about to acquire that is older . . .  and from a lifelong collector of Hindu corbels.

 

A rare find in very good condition considering its age.

 

For the Serious Collector of Hindu / Dravidian temple carvings.