German made porcelain slip cast figure of Lord Shiva made for colonial India in the early 1900s. These figures were inspired by paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, who was the first Indian painter to apply European-style realism to Indian subjects, creating a unique style of Indian Naturalism. Prints of his paintings became so popular that German porcelain makers started making figures based on his paintings, Victorian style figures based on Hindu mythology. This figure of Lord Shiva shows him seated in a meditative posture on a decorated base, wearing a tiger skin and necklaces of Rudraksh beads. His third eye is open on his forehead, and three protective cobras protect him from above his head and over his shoulders. The figure is generously gilted and the paint is in fantastic condition given its age. It has the numbers 422 written on its base, and was most likely imported to India by B. Rigold & Bergmann. Made in Germany in the late 1800s to the early 1900s.

Approximately 8.2 inches in height, 3.6 inches in width, 3.3 inches in depth and 341 grams in weight.