A marble stele of a female deity

INDIA, RAJASTHAN OR GUJARAT, 11TH/12TH CENTURY

Details

A marble stele of a female deity
India, Rajasthan or Gujarat, 11th/12th century
Standing on a low plinth with foliate scrollwork, dressed in a short dhoti incised with a lotiform pattern and adorned with various jewelry and bangles, the face with full lips and almond-shaped eyes, with a blossoming plant at her feet and a curling vine above her head
34 in. (86.4 cm.) high

Provenance

Private collection, Europe, acquired from Sotheby's London, 12 October 1989, lot 108

Lot Essay

Marble was favored by the architects of Western India in the medieval period, and was especially found in Jain temples. It is likely this figure would have graced the confines of a Jain temple, and the blossoming lotus at her feet and creeping vine are representations of her role as a goddess of fecundity.

More from Indian and Southeast Asian Art

View All