National Museum, New Delhi – Gupta and Medieval Sculpture

Delhi

By kevinstandagehotography on October 28, 2020 • ( 7 Comments )

• 

Continuing my series of blog posts showcasing the highlights of the National Museum in New Delhi, it’s time to turn our attention to the Gupta and medieval sculptures that are housed in the collection. 

As you will shorty see, the museum is blessed with a staggering set of masterpieces encompassing this period – I struggled to get the number of images down to a decent number for a single blog post.

I’m also experimenting a little with removing the background from the images, which in a museum context can be frustratingly distracting, so these images purely focus on the sculpture themselves. Please add a comment below as to whether you think it enhances the viewing experience (or not!). My blog post on pre-Gupta sculpture shows similar images without the background removed. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

I have ordered the images in chronological order, starting at the 5th century and taking us through to the 14th century. As always, click on any image to view it in a larger format.

• 

Vishnu
Gupta – 5th Century A.D. – Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
This impressive Vishnu depicts the deity as four-armed, wearing a jeweled crown, sacred thread, and a long garland made of flowers. The sculptor has depicted two necklaces, one of twisted pearl strands and the other of graduated beads. When complete, this image probably had a large halo and unfortunately the lower arms and legs are now also missing. This is widely considered the finest Hindu sculpture of the Gupta period from Mathura.

• 

• 

Ganga
Gupta – 5th Century A.D. – Ahichchhatra, Uttar Pradesh
From the Gupta period onwards the two sacred rivers of North India, the Ganga and Yamuna, are often presented as river goddesses flanking the entrance to many Hindu Temples. Symbolising fertility, abundance and untamed energy, Ganga is represented here as a bejewelled and beautiful young Goddess, standing on her aquatic vehicle (makara, or crocodile). Standing at a height of 1.7m, this is one of a pair of Ganga sculptures excavated from the remains of a large brick temple at Ahichchhatra.

• 

Frieze showing Chaitya window motif of animal and floral design
Gupta – 5th Century A.D. – Sultangarhi, Delhi

• 

• 

Left : Ekamukha Shivalinga – Gupta – 5th Century A.D. – Madhya Pradesh
Right : Ekamukha Shivalinga – Gupta – 5th Century A.D. – Khoh, Madhya Pradesh

• 

Rama redeeming Ahiya
Gupta – 5th Century A.D. – Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh

• 

Nataraja
Gupta – 5th Century A.D. – Nachna, Madhya Pradesh

• 

• 

Left : Leograph – Gupta – 5th Century A.D. – Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh
Right : Lakshmana disfiguring Surpanakha – Gupta – 5th Century A.D. – Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh

• 

• 

Left : Dvarapala (Doorkeeper) – Gupta – 5th Century A.D. – Nachna Kuthara, Madhya Pradesh
Right : Buddha Head – Gupta – 5th Century A.D. – Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh

• 

• 

Left : Mother Goddess – Gupta – Early 7th Century A.D. – Vardhana, Madhya Pradesh
Right : Chauri Bearer – Western Chalukya – 7th Century A.D. – Patansheru, Medak, Andhra Pradesh

• 

Female Bust
Vardhana – 7th Century A.D. – Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh

• 

• 

Left : Vishnu – Pallava – 7th Century – South India
Right : Kali – Post Gupta – 7th-8th Century A.D. – Madhya Pradesh

• 

Siddhaikavira (a form of Manjusri)
Pala – 8th Century A.D. – Nalanda, Bihar
Freestanding stone images, mostly Bodhisattvas and usually slender and elegant, do not appear until the early Pala period at the end of the 8th century. They are in a buff sandstone until the beginning of the 9th century, after which images of dark grey and black schists from further east start to take over.

• 

• 

Left : Vishnu – Pratihara – 8th Century A.D. – North India
Right : Agni – Pallava – 9th Century A.D. – South India

• 

• 

Left : Elephant Lion Capital – Pala – 9th Century A.D. – Nalanda, Bihar
Right : Pillar – 10th Century A.D. – Sagar, Madhya Pradesh

• 

Shiva, Parvati and Family
Early Western Chalukya – 10th Century A.D. – Aihole, Karnataka

• 

Yogini Vrishanana
Pratihara – 10th-11th Century A.D. – Lokhari, Banda, Uttar Pradesh

• 

• 

Dvarpalas
Early Chola – 10th Century A.D. – South India

• 

Yoganarayana
Chandela – 10th Century A.D. – Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

• 

Yama (God of Death)
Pratihara – 10th Century A.D. – Jhalawar, Rajasthan

• 

Saptamatrikas (Seven Divine Mothers)
Pratihara – 10th Century A.D. – North India

• 

Nataraja
Sena – 11th Century A.D. – Eastern India

• 

Mother and Child
Pala – 11th Century A.D. – Bengal

• 

Vishnu
Pala – 11th Century A.D. – Eastern India

• 

Saraswati
Parmara – 11th Centiry A.D. – Rajasthan

• 

Lakshmi-Narayana (Vishnu with his consort, Lakshmi)
Chandella – 11th Century A.D. – Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

• 

• 

Pair of Vishnu Images
Pala – 11th Century A.D. – Bengal

• 

Neminatha
Chahmana – 11th Century A.D. – Narhad, Rajasthan
This image represents the 22nd Jina. The term ‘Nemi’ means ‘wheel-rim”, and establishes a connection with the Hindu God Krishna, as Neminatha was a cousin of Krishna. There is much fine detail in this carving, enhanced further by the simply magnificent polished finish.

• 

Lintel showing Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva)
Western Chalukya – 11th Century A.D. – Karnataka

• 

Chamunda (form of Durga)
Sena – 11th-12th Century – Eastern India

• 

Couple
11th Century A.D. – Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh

• 

• 

Huntress (left) and Musicians (right)
Hoysala – 12th Century A.D. – Halebid, Mysore

• 

Lakshmi-Narayana on Garuda
Hoysala – 12th Century A.D. – Halebid, Mysore

• 

• 

Lakshmi (left) and Dvarpala (right)
Late Chola – 12th Century A.D. – South India

• 

Saraswati (Goddess of learning and wisdom)
Chahamana – 12th Century A.D. – Pallu, Rajasthan
Saraswati is the Goddess of music, learning, eloquence and intelligence. She is considered as the sakti (energy) of Brahma in the pantheon of Brahmanical deities. In the Vishnudharmottara Purana she is an independent Goddess of white complexion, dressed in a white garment, carrying a pen, manuscript, lotus, rosery, vina and a vessel of nectar. The modelling of her limbs is soft and delicate, but notice just how sharp and pointed her nails are !

• 

Mohini (a female representation on Vishnu)
Western Chalukya – 12th Century A.D. – Gadag, Karnataka

• 

• 

Lintel showing Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva)
Kakatiya – 12th Century A.D. – Warangal, Andhra Pradesh

• 

Surya (Sun God)
Pala – 12th Century A.D. – Eastern India

• 

Vishnu and his manifestations
Gahadavala – 1147 A.D. – Mehrauli, Delhi

• 

• 

King Narsimha (left: on a swing; right: worshipping Jagannatha)
Eastern Ganga – 13th Century A.D. – Konark, Odisha

• 

Vishnu with Consorts
Eastern Ganga – 13th Century A.D. – Konark, Odisha

• 

Shina on Bull
Eastern Ganga – 13th Century A.D. – Konark, Odisha

• 

Surya (Sun God)
Eastern Ganga – 13th Century A.D. – Konark, Odisha
This is one of the finest sculptures from the Sun Temple of Konark, and may have once been installed for worship in the sanctum. Surya is depicted standing, holding full-blown lotuses in both hands, riding on a chariot driven by charioteer Aruna, drawn by seven galloping horses. The deity is flanked by attendant figures; Danda, Pingala, Chhaya, and Suvarchasa. Before the 5th century images of Surya depicted him dressed in a tunic, girdle and high boots with a dagger in his hand and only being pulled by four horses on his chariot. These earlier depictions are mostly likely due to the solar cult being heavily influenced by the Zoroastrian cult of Iran. It is from the Gupa period onwards that see images more similar to the example above.

• 

Wooden Pillar of Sun Temple
Circa 14th Century A.D. – Katarmal, Uttar Pradesh

• 

• 

• 

Wooden Door Leaves
Circa 14th Century A.D. – Katarmal, Uttar Pradesh
Note how worn the door is at the bottom, with much of the intricate carving worn away. One can only imagine just how many times this door has been kicked open over the centuries.

---

That concludes my short virtual tour of the Gupta and medieval period sculptures at the National Museum in Delhi. Further posts on some of the other galleries (e.g. pre-Gupta sculpture, bronzes and paintings) will be appearing over the next few weeks, which combined together will hopefully give a reasonably comprehensive account of what can be seen here.

If you are planning on visiting this museum, I would suggest at least a full day is set aside and that you arrive early.

The National Museum opening times are usually :

Tue – Fri (10:00 AM to 6:00 PM)
Sat & Sun (10:00 AM to 8:00 PM)
(Closed on Mondays and National Holidays)

---

Please ‘Like’ or add a comment if you enjoyed this blog post. If you’d like to be notified of any new content, just sign up by clicking the ‘Follow’ button. If you have enjoyed this or any other of my posts, please consider buying me a coffee. There’s a facility to do so on the righthand side of this website for desktop users, and just above the comment section for mobile users. Thank you !

If you’re interested in using any of my photography or articles please get in touch. I’m also available for any freelance work worldwide, my duffel bag is always packed ready to go…

KevinStandage1@gmail.com
kevinstandagephotography.wordpress.com

Categories: Delhi, Gupta and Medieval Sculpture, India, National Museum

Tagged as: Museums