Temple Dancer
Sculpture
18th century (made)
18th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The panel is rectangular, with sunk centre, carved in high relief with the figure of a dancing-girl. She faces to the front, in a dancing pose, the legs wide apart and bent at the knees, the left arm raised with thumb and forefinger making a mudra, the right arm pendant. She wears an accordian-pleated skirt, with double waist scarf hanging from the waist-band. Her torso is nude, but ornamented with rich jewellery, and from beneath the arm-pits swing upward the ends of the scarf. Her jewelled hair is done in a large chignon on the right side of her head. The raised frame has a band of diamond-diaper, between two rows of bead-device.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Temple Dancer (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Ivory on wood |
| Brief description | Relief panel, Ivory, Kandyan region, 18th century, Sri Lanka |
| Physical description | The panel is rectangular, with sunk centre, carved in high relief with the figure of a dancing-girl. She faces to the front, in a dancing pose, the legs wide apart and bent at the knees, the left arm raised with thumb and forefinger making a mudra, the right arm pendant. She wears an accordian-pleated skirt, with double waist scarf hanging from the waist-band. Her torso is nude, but ornamented with rich jewellery, and from beneath the arm-pits swing upward the ends of the scarf. Her jewelled hair is done in a large chignon on the right side of her head. The raised frame has a band of diamond-diaper, between two rows of bead-device. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Credit line | Given by the Royal Asiatic Society |
| Object history | Inventoried as part of the contents of the former India Museum transferred to South Kensington Museum in November 1879. Given to the V&A and reaccessioned in 1924. |
| Historical context | This panel was probably used to decorate a pavilion within a monastery (vihara) or temple. Reliefs of this type survive in wood as pillar and doorjamb decorations in Kandyan period buildings. The most direct parallel is with the carvings at Embekke Devale, a temple dedicated to Skanda. Although founded in the 14th century this structure probably dates from the 18th century . The pillared drummer's hall (Hewisi Mandapaya) has decorative panels carved with a variety of subjects, each framed in a diamond-diaper band identical to that seen in this ivory example. |
| Production | Kandyan, Sri Lanka |
| Bibliographic reference | Coomaraswamy: "Mediaeval Sinhalese Art", pl.XXXVIII, p.185. |
| Other number | 672(IS) - India Museum Catalogue (IS) Number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IM.370-1924 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | February 13, 2000 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
