Indian Rare Gilt-Silver Gauri-Parvati Processional Head

Indian Rare Gilt-Silver Gauri-Parvati Processional Head, 18th to 19th Century. This is a very rare silver-gilt processional head of Gauri-Parvati the consort of the Hindu god Shiva. While such heads are common, they are almost never silver-gilt. The goddess’ hair is done up in a spiral in back and her ears and neck adorned in jewelry. Significantly the face and neck is covered with silver, which is extremely rare in Indian bronze work, which tends to be left in bronze, brass, or painted only. The piece would have been the head of the fully clothed and painted image of the goddess at festivals, and it retains extensive traces of black, white and red pigments. H. 6 1/2"..