ORISSA, CIRCA 16TH CENTURY

Details

Two Bronze Figures of Krishna and Radha
Orissa, circa 16th Century
Krishna standing with legs crossed and upraised arms in a fluting gesture, depicted in the nude adorned with jewelry, crown and hair in a bun, cast separately onto a beaded lotus base; Radha depicted with arm outstretched, her jewelry, headdress, hairstyle and base decoration corresponding
Krishna: 17¾ in. (45 cm.); Radha: 14¼ in. (36.1 cm.) high (2)

Lot Essay

Like the mythological figure of Orpheus, Krishna has the power to entrance humans and animals by the ethereal quality of his sound. Radha is here depicted through her stance gazing lovingly towards Krishna, fully captivated by his music. The symbolic interplay between the two reflect notions of earthly love as well as divine love between devotee and deity. This sculpture of Krishna would not necessarily have included a separate flute since it is implied by his gesture. Compare to a similar bronze sculpture in P. Pal, Dancing to the Flute: Music and Dance in Indian Art, 1997, cat. no. 36b, p. 84.

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