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Details
- Other Title
- Female torso
- Place where the work was made
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Madhya Pradesh
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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
- Share
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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.
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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
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Bibliography
Referenced in 6 publications
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Bruce James, Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, 'Asian Collection: South Asia', pg. 288-297, Sydney, 1999, 289 (colour illus.).
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Gauri Parimoo Krishnan, Goddess: Divine Energy, 'Nature goddesses', pg. 23-33, Sydney, 2006, 24 (colour illus.). cat. no. 9
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Jackie Menzies (Editor), The Asian Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales, 'The Realm of the Hindu Gods', Sydney, 2003, 22 (colour illus.).
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Jackie Menzies, AGNSW Collections, 'Asian Art - India, South-East Asia, China, Tibet, Korea, Japan', pg. 173-228, Sydney, 1994, 178 (colour illus.).
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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
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Editor Unknown (Editor), Margaret Olley Art Trust, Sydney, circa 1994, colour illus..
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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.