Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum

A catalogue of the Ashmolean’s collection of Indian art by J. C. Harle and Andrew Topsfield (published Oxford, 1987).

Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum by J. C. Harle and Andrew Topsfield

Publications online: 143 objects

Reference URL

Actions

Send e-mail

Contact us about this object

Send e-mail

Send to a friend

Figure of Surya, the Sun god

  • Literature notes

    This slightly unusual bronze figure of Sūrya, the Sun god [see EA1972.45], probably dates from as early as the end of the 7th century. Except for his boots, there are no specifically Kuṣāṇa traits to his costume: his crown, the way his hair is dressed, and the scarf looped down between his two arms with fluttery ends, are all reminiscent of certain generally small reliefs in potstone, found in north-west India and probably of late Gupta or early post-Gupta date; the Museum has one such fragment [EAX.244]. So is the shape of the little cape or bolero over the god’s shoulders, perhaps a distant echo of the Greek schamys.

    The principal figure holds a highly stylized lotus in each hand. A massive sword hangs by his left side, in contrast to the small dirk suspended horizontally below the belt on many Kashmiri male Hindu gods. The two attendants are called Piṅgala, who may well hold, as prescribed, a pen in one hand and an ink pot in the other, and Daṇḍȧ who, as his name implies, holds a staff (daṇḍa). They too wear boots and, instead of the Kuṣāṇa square cut tunic or a coat, the same long gown, slit at the sides, as Sūrya. The eyes of all the figures are inlaid in silver and there is a small inlaid gold dot in the middle of Sūrya’s forehead.
  • Details

    Associated place
    AsiaAfghanistan Kabul Valley (place of creation)
    Date
    late 6th century - early 7th century AD
    Material and technique
    bronze, inlaid with silver and gold
    Dimensions
    20 x 11.2 x 5 cm max. (height x width x depth)
    Material index
    Technique index
    formed cast,
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Purchased with the assistance of Douglas and Mary Barrett, 1986.
    Accession no.
    EA1986.2
  • Further reading

    Harle, J. C., and Andrew Topsfield, Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 1987), no. 34 on p. 26, illus. p. 26

    Siudmak, John, ‘Carved Rock Relief at Nādihēl in the Kashmir Valley’, A. J. Gail and G. J. R. Mevissen, eds, with the assistance of Britta Zehmke, South Asian Archaeology 1991 (Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1993), p. 642

    Ahuja, Naman, ‘Early Indian Art at the Ashmolean Museum - Catalogue in progress’, 2016, no. 67

Location

    • First floor | Room 32 | India from 600

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum by J. C. Harle and Andrew Topsfield

    Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum

    This slightly unusual bronze figure of Sūrya, the Sun god [see EA1972.45], probably dates from as early as the end of the 7th century. Except for his boots, there are no specifically Kuṣāṇa traits to his costume: his crown, the way his hair is dressed, and the scarf looped down between his two arms with fluttery ends, are all reminiscent of certain generally small reliefs in potstone, found in north-west India and probably of late Gupta or early post-Gupta date; the Museum has one such fragment [EAX.244]. So is the shape of the little cape or bolero over the god’s shoulders, perhaps a distant echo of the Greek schamys.

    The principal figure holds a highly stylized lotus in each hand. A massive sword hangs by his left side, in contrast to the small dirk suspended horizontally below the belt on many Kashmiri male Hindu gods. The two attendants are called Piṅgala, who may well hold, as prescribed, a pen in one hand and an ink pot in the other, and Daṇḍȧ who, as his name implies, holds a staff (daṇḍa). They too wear boots and, instead of the Kuṣāṇa square cut tunic or a coat, the same long gown, slit at the sides, as Sūrya. The eyes of all the figures are inlaid in silver and there is a small inlaid gold dot in the middle of Sūrya’s forehead.
Notice

Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

© 2013 University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum