South Indian / Woman / Pandya period, 8th-9th centurySouth Indian
Woman
Pandya period, 8th-9th century

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Creator Nationality: Asian; Indian Sub-Continent; Indian
Creator Dates/Places: South Indian
Creator Active Place: South Indian
Creator Name-CRT: South Indian
Title: Woman
View: Full View
Creation Start Date: 701
Creation End Date: 899
Creation Date: Pandya period, 8th-9th century
Creation Place: India, possibly Tamil Nadu
Object Type: Sculpture
Materials and Techniques: Copper alloy
Dimensions: H. 12 in. (30.5 cm)
AMICA Contributor: Asia Society
Owner Location: New York, New York, USA
ID Number: 1979.018
Credit Line: Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection
Rights: http://www.asiasociety.org
Context: Most of the sculptures and monuments of south India dating from the 7th through 9th centuries are associated with the two most important dynasties in the region during this period: the Pallavas, centered on the eastern coastline around the cities of Kanchipuram and Mamallapuram, and the Pandyas, centered further south near Madurai. Certain features of this extremely abraded bronze image of a woman suggest that it was produced in the Pandyan regions: the oval face and tall pointed crown; strong shoulders; full breasts; a long, narrow torso with a very thin waist; wide hips; and long tapering legs. The woman's full skirt hangs longer over the right leg than the left, and is tied by a sash with a full, long end that falls over the center of the skirt. She holds a lotus, the stem of which flows from her right hand to her left. It seems likely that this piece once functioned as an attendant or devotee in a larger series of images.

South Indian bronze sculptures from the 7th to 9th centuries are relatively small in scale and were probably used for personal devotion rather than as the focus of temple rituals. In addition to pouring liquids over the sculptures, devotees also often rubbed the faces; such practices were probably responsible for effacing the features of this sculpture.


Related Document Description: Asia Society. Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection. New York: Asia Society, [1981], p. 13.
AMICA ID: ASIA.1979.018
AMICA Library Year: 1998
Media Metadata Rights: Copyright, Asia Society

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