Published: Ulrich von Schroeder, Nepalese Stone Sculptures, Volume One – Hindu, p 704-705, item number 219C.

Finely carved, the deity stands gracefully in samabhanga atop a lotus-shaped base, flanked by Nandi and a lion, the vahana of Shiva and Parvati. The right side of the figure featuring a flat, masculine chest, representing Shiva, adorned with serpent jewelry and holding a trishula. The left side of the figure marked by a prominent breast, representing Parvati, and adorned with gem-studded jewelry, and holding a rosary and vajra.

Provenance: Spink & Son, London, 1987 (invoice lost). Raymond Handley, Los Altos Hills, California, acquired from the above, and thence by descent to his wife Marsha Vargas Handley. Raymond G. Handley (1923-2009) partnered with Ray Renault in the 1950s to co-found one of California’s oldest and most successful real estate development firms. They were pioneers in shaping the early landscape of Silicon Valley, developing buildings for major tech innovators such as Intel and Raytheon, laying the groundwork for the region’s transformation into a global technology hub. Raymond Handley was a keen collector of art who traveled extensively, including the most remote parts of Papua New Guinea and Africa. In Mali, where his brother served as the Ambassador of the United States, he drilled more than fifty water wells for Dogon villages. His passion led him to establish Folk Art International/Xanadu Tribal Arts, an ethnographic art business which developed into the Xanadu Gallery in the late 1990s, located in the historic Frank Lloyd Wright building off Union Square, and continued by his widow Marsha Vargas Handley until her retirement in 2015. Having opened her first gallery in the Bay Area in 1973, she is an important figure in the Asian art world in her own right, serving as the president of the International Netsuke Society for over 16 years. Raymond Handley’s first visit to Spink & Son took place in the early 1980s, between Christmas and New Year’s, when much of the staff was away on vacation. During this visit, Raymond was captivated by the gallery's impressive selection of fine works and quickly amassed a collection of over 100 items he intended to purchase. This large number caused some concern for Anthony Gardner, head of Spink’s Southeast Asian Department, who had never dealt with such a sizable transaction. As the total approached 108 items, Anthony suggested Raymond stop there, citing it as an auspicious number. To this day, 108 remains the record for the most works sold in a single day, and it became customary thereafter for the staff to remain at work during the holiday period.
Condition: Very good condition with old wear, primarily from worship within the culture. Small nicks, light scratches, minor losses, signs of weathering, encrustations, remnants of pigments.

Weight: 33.8 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 56.5 cm (excl. stand), 59.5 cm (incl. stand)

With an associated metal stand. (2)

The concept of Ardhanarishvara comes from the Sanskrit words "Ardha" (half), "Nari" (woman), and "Ishwara" (lord). Depicted as half-male and half-female – Shiva on the right and Parvati on the left – Ardhanarishvara represents the balance between two opposing life paths: Shiva's ascetic spirituality and Parvati's worldly materialism. This form symbolizes the harmony of spiritual and material realms, unified into a perfect whole.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related earlier stone stele of Lakshmi-Narayana, a similar composite deity of Vishnu and Lakshmi, dated 10^th-11^th century, formerly in the Dallas Museum of Art and returned to the Government of Nepal in 2021. Compare a related stone stele of Avalokiteshvara, 39.4 cm high, dated to the 15^th century, in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, accession number M.82.40.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 21 March 2012, lot 822
Price: USD 98,500 or approx. EUR 131,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A black stone stele with Shiva and Parvati, Nepal, 15^th/16^th century
Expert remark: Compare the related form, modeling, and manner of carving. Note the size (78.7 cm).