Hand-Painted Nandi Head Wall Sculpture – 6 Rustic Colours

Six weathered, warm colourways of the hand-carved Nandi head — including Drift Wood, the one finish in the range where the mango wood is left largely bare so you can read the grain and the tool marks. This is our most-reviewed cow head listing, at 4.93 across fourteen reviews.

How it is made

Each head is cut from a single block of mango wood and shaped by hand before any paint touches it. The painting is the slow part — fine brush line work laid over a base coat by artisans who have been painting this one form for years. The eye, the brow motif, the beaded collar: all freehand. What arrives is one craftsman’s afternoon of work, not a moulded copy off a line.

The six colours

• Dark Green — so dark it reads almost black, with deep red horns and a multicolour floral face panel
• Drift Wood — bare mango wood, white line work only, with small Warli-style figures painted along the muzzle
• Orangy Red — warm terracotta with green and black horn tips and a gold face panel
• Pirate Gold — ochre yellow with black-tipped horns and red detailing
• Rustic Red — deep red with blue and yellow horns and a gold and blue face panel
• Deep Sea Blue — strong blue with red and green horns and gold brow work

Details

• Approximately 17"H × 13"W × 4.5"D, measured across the ears
• Weight: 850 g
• Material: mango wood, hand-carved and hand-painted
• Mounting: keyhole hanger on a flat backing plate at the rear
• Ears carved separately and slotted in
• Handcrafted in India

Where it goes

Farmhouse and rustic interiors, where the weathered palette does most of the work. Entryways, stair walls, above a bench or a console. Drift Wood in particular suits rooms that are already full of colour and cannot take more.

Hanging it

There is a keyhole slot in a flat plate on the back. Drive a screw or a nail with a head into the wall, leave it standing a few millimetres proud, and drop the keyhole over it. At 850 g a drywall anchor is plenty — but a bare pushpin is not enough to hold it. Screws and wall anchors are not supplied.

Care

Dust with a dry cloth. Keep it out of prolonged direct sunlight so the colours hold. Do not use water or solvent cleaners on the painted surface.

Frequently asked questions

Is Drift Wood painted at all?
Only the detail. The body is left as bare mango wood, with white freehand line work on the face and brow and a row of small Warli-style figures along the muzzle. It is the closest thing in the range to seeing the carving on its own.

Do the colours match the photos?
Yes — that is the single thing customers mention most in reviews. Each head is painted freehand, so the fine line work varies a little from piece to piece, but the base colour is the colour shown.

Are the ears fixed or removable?
They are carved as separate pieces and slot into the head — that is how the piece survives shipping intact. Seat each ear firmly into its slot when you unpack it. If one sits loose, a dab of wood glue in the slot holds it permanently.

Is this Nandi or a cow?
The form comes from South Indian folk carving, where the same shape is made both as the sacred cow and as Nandi, Shiva’s bull. It is sold and lived with as either.

Can I order several?
Yes. For gallery walls, stores, events or corporate gifting, email contact@urliutsav.com and we will quote you for a bulk order.

Shipping and assurance

Free insured shipping across the USA and Canada. Ships from San Ramon, California, usually within one business day. If it arrives damaged, send us a photo and we will resolve it — transit damage is covered.

See the full range in the Indian Wall Art collection.