A RED SANDSTONE CHAURI BEARER


NORTH INDIA, RAJASTHAN, 10TH CENTURY20 3/4 in. (52.6 cm) high
|This celestial attendant is superbly carved with remarkable naturalism. He stands in a restrained tribhanga pose, with the remains of a luxurious fly whisk (chauri) curling by his left ear. A diminutive bejeweled nymph flanks his right leg. This sculpture's deep red sandstone and the crisp array of pendants around his neck are features commonly associated with stone sculpture from the environs of Kota in eastern Rajasthan. Compare, for example, a closely related stele of Vayu in the Brooklyn Museum of Art, for which Desai and Mason also note the configuration of the sash overlaying the short lower garment is a noticeable feature of sculpture from the Kota region (Gods, Guardians, and Lovers, New York, 1993, p.153, no.8). Other closely related sculptures in this style include an attendant figure and a head of Vishnu sold at Sotheby's, New York, 15 March 2017, lot 261, and 19 March 2014, lot 37, respectively. Provenance Maryland Private Collection Doyle, New York, 10 September 2012, lot 27