Indian Bronze Altar Statue of Nandi with Cobra Hood

Nandi rests beneath a cobra hood and doesn’t mind.

Indian metalworkers cast this altar statue of Nandi in bronze, dated in the record to the 18th century or earlier. Nandi, the bull, is commonly associated with Shiva and is often shown at the entrance of Shiva shrines. Here he reclines on a stepped base, with a collar and a decorated saddle cloth. A broad cobra hood, incised with a scalloped pattern and topped with a finial, rises behind him. The bronze has a deep brown patina.

About 6 inches tall. Small, devout and always in the right place.