The Reliquary of Sainte-Foy and Shiva As Lord of Dance

Reliquary of Sainte-Foy, 9th century with later additions, gold, silver, gemstones, and enamel over wood, Romanesque France

Shiva as Lord of Dance (nataraja), Hindu, India (Tamil Nadu), Chola Dynasty, 11th century, cast bronze

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja) is a bronze sculpture from the Chola Dynasty in India. It is a Hindu sculpture from the 9th-13th century. 

The Reliquary of Sainte-Foy depicts a young girl who was martyred because she was killed when she was fighting for Christianity. The statue holds the relics, part of her skull. The statue is very frontal, rigid, and enthroned. It is covered in gold and jewels. 

The subject of Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja) is Shiva, the Hindu deity for rebirth and destruction, doing a fire dance that signifies his destruction of the world. He is in a ring of fire, with multiple arms extending outward, while standing on a dwarf figure (a symbol of ignorance). Shiva holds a drum for creation and a flame for destruction. His hand gestures, mudra, represent protection and liberation. 

A difference in how the two figures are depicted is in their mannerisms. Sainte-Foy is very rigid, frontal, and seated, while Shiva is dancing with a lot of movement. This shows how in Christianity, solemn veneration is considered the best form of worship, whereas in Hinduism, lively and active worship is best. Another difference is how Sainte-Foy is an intermediate between God and humans as a saint, yet she is still being worshipped. On the other hand, it is clear that Shiva is beyond human, as he is depicted with multiple arms and holding a flame. He is a deity with cosmic force. 

A similarity in how the two pieces are used is how they are both held in procession. The Reliquary of Sainte-Foy functioned as a pilgrimage object; it was displayed for veneration for believers who would purposely pilgrimage to Sainte-Foy to see it. The relics inside it would sometimes be held in procession for rituals and festivals. Shiva as Lord of Dance was similarly used in temple festivals and involved in processions.