Head of Surya

Description

The majesty of Sūrya

It is the god Sūrya, god of the sun, who is probably represented here. Heavy eyelids fall over his almond-shaped cut eyes, surmounting a straight, thin nose. Despite the absence of some of his attributes, these features are characteristic of the representation of Sūrya during the Gupta period. A richly ornamented diadem surmounts the head of the god, giving him a majestic aura once emphasized by the nimbus here fragmentary. One particularly admires the fine workmanship of the headdress, here exceptionally well preserved.

The golden age of Indian art

The Gupta period is often referred to as the golden age of Indian art. The important development of art and literature, as well as the emergence of numerous regional workshops, gave rise to a taste for ornamentation, as well as for the refined character of representations. Terracotta then became a material of choice for artists, just as this head of Sūrya testifies. Terracotta was given a major decorative role, particularly in the ornamentation of temples and stupas, which were entirely covered with sculptures, pillars and lintels. Terracotta was used for both secular and mythological representations, and this work belongs to the second category, a fine example of the know-how of Bangladeshi craftsmen.

A witness to Gupta art

In fact, Gupta art has often come down to us in religious form; this is probably due to the quality of execution and the particular care given to this type of work. This representation of the Sun God is a virtuoso demonstration of Gupta art and its codes of beauty. The softness of the features and their atypical elegance is characteristic of this period, as is the richness of the ornamentation and the jewelry. The use of terracotta, which gradually declined afterwards (except in the Bengal region), is also very characteristic of this period. The degree of preservation of this work should also be emphasized, despite the apparent fragility of the terracotta.

Provenance : French private collection (by repute).