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Vase India, Bengal, Chandraketugarh Shunga 2nd/1st century bce. terracotta; Terracotta height 28 cm, diameter 13,5 cm. |
The decoration of this vase is divided into three sections. The upper section is filled with lotus flowers, the centre with five winged male figures, and the lower section with seven winged female figures. Each figure stands on a lotus in a lotus pool, holding in each hand the stem of a lotus that rises from the pool. These are syncretic deities assimilated with elements of Shri, the goddess of wealth and fortune. The figures also recall the yakshas, auspicious beings associated with the power of nature. All the figures are adorned with precisely delineated jewellery – headdresses, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and anklets. Bands of opened flowers and symbols separate the sections. Shunga was the name of a Brahman general who in 185 bce slew the last Mauryan emperor and established himself as ruler, giving his name to the new dynasty. In the period that followed, a renewal of sculptural activity marked an artistic movement of an early classical phase in Indian art. The Shunga period added a glorious chapter in the realm of religion, literature and art. Chandraketugarh, in Bengal, northeast of Calcutta, became an important cultural centre. Here, terracotta art in particular reached an exceptional level of technical perfection and refinement. The vase is a fine example of the period, exhibiting all the typical stylistic traits. A study of similar terracottas has revealed a superfine structure unspoiled by the addition of rice husk and with an absence of air holes and grit in the clay [1]. The terracottas of Chandraketugarh are distinguished by the subtle modelling of flesh, extreme precision, and a profusion of surface detail. Technically sophisticated, they are also objects of great artistic beauty. The present vase is in an excellent state of preservation and is one of the finest examples known. The figures combine a lively tension with majestic dignity. Considerable skill is evinced in the minutely carved details of the jewellery, faces, hair, ornaments and in the dynamic movement of the foliate forms. These qualities are consistently exhibited all over the piece. [1] Life and Art of Chandraketugarh, State Archaeological Museum, Behala, Kolkata, 2001. Report on Thermoluminescense Authenticity Test, c/o Department of Physics & Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Ref. 01190 is consistent with the period given above. Click here for full size image (1455 x 2000 pixels, 585 KB) |