How Does Nataraja Form

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja) is a sculpture that rests at Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. This piece created in south India, in what is now the state of Tamil Nadu is one with a tremendous history and mythological back-story dating back to the 19th Century. This bronze sculpture stands about 31-3/4 x 24 x 9-1/2 in. (80.6 x 61 x 24.1 cm) and is a stylized depiction of the Hindu God of Destruction known as Shiva that required a lot of time and skill. Although this statue rests in a museum it still commands the space, drawing in the viewer to witness the memorizing dance up close.

In Hinduism there are three Gods that make up holy trinity (trimurti). Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. All 3 three gods have an important roll in the stability of the universe but Shiva’s roll is the most interesting and complex because his roll has two parts. “One side Shiva may represent goodness, compassion, ultimately a protector; but one the other side he is the leader of evil spirits and a master of thieves, villains and beggars”. In an article by Mark Cartwright, he explains the opposite sides of Shiva that both exist in order to create balance. All …show more content…
The sculpture feels really balanced when you look at head on and although the entire sculpture is centered vertically, horizontally it A-symmetrical. There is a lot more going on at the top as opposed to the bottom, which the artist makes up for by pulling parts at the bottom of the sculpture out in 3 dimensional space. The repeated surrounded flames that signify destructive power also serve to unify the composition. The halo flames keep your eyes moving around. Each time your eyes circle the piece you notice something that wasn’t there the first time you looked. Which is nice because it keeps the viewer interested. For example it was until the 3rd time walking around the piece that one begins to notice the relief carvings in the halo of

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