India, Madhya Pradesh, 10th – 11th century AD

Height: 14 3/4 inches, 37.5 cm

A red sandstone female deity, carved in fine detail. The face has delicate features, prominent, arched eyebrows, and almond-shaped eyes, making the expression altogether serene. The deity’s hair is worn in an intricate style, with ornaments and jewellery. A large earring is suspended from her ear lobe, and she wears a long, beaded necklace. The sinuous body with prominent breasts is clad in a dhoti, which is held up by a belt, from which beaded necklaces are suspended.

Comparable sculptures are in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco 1, and in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 2.

1 See: A Decade of Collecting (1966-1976) (Japan 1976) no. 197, page 137
2 See: Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection (New York 1981) page 19