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Not currently on display at the V&A

Head

Sculpture
5th Century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This head of a comical-looking man, possibly a rakshasa, has a broad face with elongated ears, prominently open eyes, contracted eyebrows, large splayed nostrils, two protruding teeth, and a long flowing moustache. The middle of the forehead is slightly raised with a circular depression at the base and a scarf is tied with a central knot round his head.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleHead (Generic title)
Materials and techniques
Moulded lime composition or stucco.
Brief description
Head of a Rakshasa, 5th century, stucco, Hadda, Afghanistan.
Physical description
This head of a comical-looking man, possibly a rakshasa, has a broad face with elongated ears, prominently open eyes, contracted eyebrows, large splayed nostrils, two protruding teeth, and a long flowing moustache. The middle of the forehead is slightly raised with a circular depression at the base and a scarf is tied with a central knot round his head.
Dimensions
  • Height: 10in
  • Width: 9in
  • (without pedestal) depth: 10in
Style
Object history
The head was purchased from dealers Ram Chand Siri Chand and Co., Bazar Sarafan, Rawalpindi for the museum on the recommendation of K. Codrington, Keeper of the Indian Section as a type of sculpture which 'is interesting because of its survival in the dance maske - it also appears at Ajanta' (nominal file ref MA/1/C954)
Subject depicted
Collection
Accession number
IM.199-1937

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Record createdJune 20, 2002
Record URL
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