God Shiva as Lord Who Is Half-Male, Half-Female (Ardhanarishvara)

This 14th-century granite sculpture from Tamil Nadu depicts Ardhanarishvara, meaning "the Lord who is half woman." Shiva and Parvati are merged into a single form split vertically down the middle. The right side is male Shiva (matted locks, third eye, tiger skin, serpent ornaments), and the left side is female Parvati (combed hair, tilak, breast, silk garment, henna-tinted foot). At about 49 inches tall, it's a major temple sculpture.

The form represents the synthesis of masculine and feminine energies (Purusha and Prakriti), illustrating that Shiva and Shakti are inseparable. It teaches that the inner union of masculine and feminine transcends gender to reach the Brahman (ultimate reality). The Chola/Vijayanagara style shows the refinement of South Indian Hindu sculpture in this period. It's at the Art Institute of Chicago.