G747.6 A SANDSTONE RELIEF DEPICTING THE SUN GOD SURYA

NORTHERN INDIA, UTTAR OR MADHYA PRADESH

PRATIHARA PERIOD

CIRCA 10^TH 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:  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.