G747.6 A SANDSTONE RELIEF DEPICTING THE SUN GOD SURYA
NORTHERN INDIA, UTTAR OR MADHYA PRADESH
PRATIHARA PERIOD
CIRCA 10TH CENTURY
H. 46 CMS, 18 INS
A light beige sandstone stele depicting the Hindu Sun God Surya, sculpted in a frontal pose, holding a stem of lotus blossom (padma) in each hand, dressed as a prince with a diadem and extensive jewellery and wearing Persian-style charioteer’s boots, a solar nimbus behind his head, attended by Pingala and Dandi and his principal consort Prabha (also known as Mahasveta).
Reference: Â For a closely related figure of Harihara, see cat. no. 45 in Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The Arts of India and Nepal: The Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, Boston: MFA, 1966.
Provenance: Private English collection.