The Art
of India,
5th - 12th
centuries

Indian art formed distinctive schools that arose, flourished, and disappeared within specific regions of the vast Indian subcontinent. The Gupta empire (c. 320-c, 550 CE) witnessed one of India’s greatest artistic periods, extending over much of north India, and represented here in a small, but beautifully crafted gilt copper figure of the Jina (“victor”) Rishabha (cat. no. 7). Rishabha was the first of twenty-four great teachers within the Jain tradition, known as Tirthankaras, reputed to have lived millions of years ago. He can be identified by his long hair.

A brass alloy figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra
Cat. no. 10 A brass alloy figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra Northeastern India 12th century 14.7 cm high
A copper alloy figure of Chandesha
Cat. no. 9 A copper alloy figure of Chandesha Tamil Nadu 10th-11th century 41 cm high
A gilt copper alloy figure of Jina Rishabha
Cat. no. 7 A gilt copper alloy figure of Jina Rishabha India 5th - 7th century 7 cm high
A sandstone stele of Ganesha
Cat. no. 8 A sandstone stele of Ganesha Rajastan or Central India 8th - 9th century 71.5 cm high