Provenance:
J.R. Belmont Collection
Christian Humann (Pan-Asian Collection), 1974-1982
Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, New York, 1982-1993
Sotheby's, New York, September 16, 1999, no. 112
American Private Collection
Published:
Pratapaditya Pal, The Ideal Image: The Gupta Sculptural Tradition and Its Influence, Asia House Gallery exhibition catalogue, New York, 1978, no. 36
Within the circular medallion, a dancing gana—a lively attendant spirit associated with the retinue of a Hindu deity—bends one leg beneath him while his raised arm and twisting torso create a compact, animated pose. The rounded limbs are modeled in depth, setting the figure apart from the shallow field behind him.
The medallion is framed by a chandrasala, an architectural form derived from the arched windows of early Indian buildings. Here, concentric bands of beading and finely carved foliate scrolls follow the curve of the horseshoe-shaped arch, while leaves and stems fill the narrow spaces between them. The chandrasala became a recurring element of North Indian temple façades during the Gupta Dynasty, where its curved form caught the changing light, bringing its carved decorations into relief as shadows moved across the stone.