The early urban cultures of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, in present-day Pakistan, are represented by animal figurines, terracotta deities, and stylized female figures, discovered during excavations in the Indus Valley in the 1930s. Several typical bronzes, ritual objects, and examples of refined ivory work come from Sri Lanka.
Gandhara
Two large statues - a bodhisattva and a Buddha from the beginning of the Common Era - form the centerpiece of the Gandhara art display. Under Western influence, Gandhara art was the first to depict Buddha as a human figure. Several slate reliefs illustrate key episodes from the life of the historic Buddha.
India
A highlight of the collection is the bronze statue of Shiva Nataraja, from the 13th-century Chola dynasty, depicting the Hindu god of creation and destruction as the King of the Dance. A large yellow-stone statue of Jina Vimalanatha and an upright black-marble Jina introduce visitors to Jain religious imagery. This sculpture group is framed by four large 18th-century wooden temple pillars, decorated in lotus motifs from Kerala, Southern India, surrounding a substantial stone lingam with faces.
Contact
- Bowi Quibus: b.quibus@kmkg-mrah.be