Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. From Pala. 11th-12th Centuries

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dc.contributor.authorPhotographer: Arthur Llewellyn Basham
dc.coverage.spatialIndia (Bengal
dc.coverage.spatialBihar)
dc.date.accessioned2019-10-15T00:25:13Z
dc.date.available2019-10-15T00:25:13Z
dc.date.createdcirca 1970s
dc.date.updated2019-10-15T00:25:13Z
dc.descriptionWe suggested above that Pala-Sena art underwent several changes during its transition from an imitative Guptan style to a more elegant but unfortunately superficial form in the 11th century. What had begun as a truly expressive religious form of art at Pala had become more lifeless over the years, ritually correct but a mere icon without inner feeling. Thus, even though the technique of carving is still accomplished, something is lost in the translation of forms from the Gupta idiom to the Pala-Sena vocabulary. Ornaments and decorative backgrounds are varied enough and in the same moment given a too prominent position in relation to the figures. Spirals and floral motifs appear to compete with the figures for our attention in some cases. Vishnu, Brahma and Siva - the Brahman and hence Hindu Trinity - are shown in this group standing at the opening of three arches and accompanied by their host of earthly and celestial sub-deities. Each aspect of the One Creative Force holds in his numerous arms his specifically identifying attribute: Brahma, the bowl representing the alms bowl of the monks, who seek to know the secrets of the creation
dc.descriptionVishnu, the club by which he protects that which is created by Brahma
dc.descriptionand Siva, the alms bowl of the vagrant mendicant, for Siva is the Prince of the Ascetics. -- London, British Museum.
dc.format.extent35mm
dc.format.mediummounted transparency
dc.format.mediumb&w
dc.format.mediumsepia
dc.format.mimetypeimage/tiff
dc.identifierANUA 682-1037
dc.identifier.otherIM-142
dc.identifier.other24
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/176031
dc.language.isoen_AU
dc.provenanceDigitised by the Australian National University in 2019
dc.relation.ispartofseriesBasham Collection
dc.rights.licenseThis item is provided for research purposes. Contact the Australian National University Archives at butlin.archives@anu.edu.au for permission to use.
dc.subjectBengal & Bihar-- Sculpture - Bengal & Bihar - Hindu etc.
dc.subjectstone sculpture
dc.subjectslide set
dc.titleBrahma, Vishnu and Siva. From Pala. 11th-12th Centuries
dc.typeImage
dspace.entity.typeANUArchivesItem

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