RED SANDSTONE ELEPHANT AND MAHOUT
Central India
10th/11th century
Height: 24.4 cm Width: 16.1 cm Depth: 46.5 cm

A finely carved red sandstone elephant, decorated with jewellery to its upper body and with a mahout (rider) on its back. The lower half of the mahout can be seen seated on the shoulders of elephant, his legs gripping the elephant on either side and his body leaning forward for a secure hold. One of his hands can be seen resting on the top of the elephant’s head. There is a lovely contrast between the smooth plain back of the elephant, interrupted only by the rope tied around its waist and a bell swinging freely on each side, and the decorated shoulders and head. The head of the elephant is raised with a friendly, docile expression, its lower lip hanging down and its eyes wide open. The area around the eyelids is beautifully modelled, the underlying bone structure revealed through the taut skin. The ears are segmented by thin veins.