Surya
Figure Group
12th century (made)
12th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The figurative carving of Surya who dominates the stele, his consort and attendants are carved almost in the round against a triangular-headed back-slab with decorative curled foliated and plain mouldings in high and low relief. The god stands beneath a kirttimukha mask in a frontal, unflexed position holding, (although the left hand is missing) two sinuous tendrils of fully-opened lotus blossoms, which are held aloft by two small heavenly, figures (apsarasas). He wears a crown upon his head and a diaphanous robe over which he wears elaborate jewellery, including a belt, earrings, bracelets and necklace with long strands of pearls rippling diagonally across his body. His sword lies beside his left leg and he is wearing boots. The small female figure who stands in front of his legs is probably his principal consort, Prabha (brightness), while his charioteer, Aruna, is depicted beneath her in a truncated form upon a double lotus pediment supported on a stepped plinth, from under which spring his seven horses. Two similar attendant bearded figures with matted locks, potbellies and pearl jewellery stand in a tribanga position holding batons at the outer edge of the sculpture. Next to them are two smaller female attendants in three-quarter pose who appear to step forward with their chauri whisks held above their heads. Beneath the left hand male figure stands the diminutive figure of a female archer dispelling darkness: her companion on the other side is now missing.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Surya (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Carved black basalt |
| Brief description | Surya, The Sun God, Black basalt, Pala period, Bihar, Eastern India, 12th century. |
| Physical description | The figurative carving of Surya who dominates the stele, his consort and attendants are carved almost in the round against a triangular-headed back-slab with decorative curled foliated and plain mouldings in high and low relief. The god stands beneath a kirttimukha mask in a frontal, unflexed position holding, (although the left hand is missing) two sinuous tendrils of fully-opened lotus blossoms, which are held aloft by two small heavenly, figures (apsarasas). He wears a crown upon his head and a diaphanous robe over which he wears elaborate jewellery, including a belt, earrings, bracelets and necklace with long strands of pearls rippling diagonally across his body. His sword lies beside his left leg and he is wearing boots. The small female figure who stands in front of his legs is probably his principal consort, Prabha (brightness), while his charioteer, Aruna, is depicted beneath her in a truncated form upon a double lotus pediment supported on a stepped plinth, from under which spring his seven horses. Two similar attendant bearded figures with matted locks, potbellies and pearl jewellery stand in a tribanga position holding batons at the outer edge of the sculpture. Next to them are two smaller female attendants in three-quarter pose who appear to step forward with their chauri whisks held above their heads. Beneath the left hand male figure stands the diminutive figure of a female archer dispelling darkness: her companion on the other side is now missing. |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Transferred from the India Museum in 1879. |
| Object history | Surya, the Sun God, standing erect and holding lotus blossoms. |
| Historical context | Surya, the Sun God, is represented riding his chariot drawn by seven horses, to be seen issuing from the base mouldings. At his feet stands his consort Prabha, and beneath her Surya's charioteer, Aruna. Worship of the sun in an anthropomorphic form was probably introduced to India from ancient Iran. In medieval Hinduism Surya was sometimes identified with Vishnu, whose origins appear to be as a sun deity, the memory of which is preserved in his flaming wheel (cakra) and his vehicle, the sun bird Garuda. |
| Production | Rajmahal Hills, Bihar, India |
| Subject depicted | |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 929(IS) |
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| Record created | February 14, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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