Torso of a female divinity, 11th century ::

Details

Other Title: Female torso
Place where the work was made: Madhya Pradesh → India
Period: Chandella dynasty circa 831-1308 → India
Date: 11th century
Media category: Sculpture
Materials used: sandstone
Dimensions: 53.0 cm
Signature & date: Not signed. Not dated.
Credit: Margaret Hannah Olley Art Trust 1990
Location: Not on display
Accession number: 239.1990
Copyright: Reproduction requests
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About

Most likely the torso of a celestial woman or 'surasundari', this sculpture embodies the Indian ideals of feminine beauty: full, spherical breasts set close, narrow wasp-like waist, ample hips and elaborate jewellery that accentuates the soft tactility of the flesh. This kind of representation of the feminine was included in the iconographic program of the Hindu temple in order to improve its power.

The Asian Collections, AGNSW, 2003, pg.22.

Exhibition history

Shown in 3 exhibitions

Great gifts, great patrons, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 17 Aug 1994–19 Oct 1994
Goddess: Divine Energy, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 13 Oct 2006–28 Jan 2007
Walking with gods, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 01 Jun 2019–05 Jan 2020

Bibliography

Referenced in 6 publications

Bruce James, Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, 'Asian Collection: South Asia', pg. 288-297, Sydney, 1999, 289 (colour illus.).
Gauri Parimoo Krishnan, Goddess: Divine Energy, 'Nature goddesses', pg. 23-33, Sydney, 2006, 24 (colour illus.). cat. no. 9
Jackie Menzies (Editor), The Asian Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales, 'The Realm of the Hindu Gods', Sydney, 2003, 22 (colour illus.).
Jackie Menzies, AGNSW Collections, 'Asian Art - India, South-East Asia, China, Tibet, Korea, Japan', pg. 173-228, Sydney, 1994, 178 (colour illus.).
Pratapaditya Pal, Orientations, 'Sensuous Spirituality: Hindu and Buddhist Art from the Indic Cultural Realm', pg. 80-87, Hong Kong, Sep 2000, 85 (colour illus.). fig.10
Editor Unknown (Editor), Margaret Olley Art Trust, Sydney, circa 1994, colour illus..

Provenance

Brian Moore Gallery, 1990, Sydney/New South Wales/Australia

Margaret Olley, Jun 1990, Sydney/New South Wales/Australia, donated to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney as part of the Margaret Hannah Olley Art Trust, June 1990.