Two Idols stolen from TN traced to US

Two Idols stolen from TN traced to US

Subject : Art and Culture

Context : The Tamil Nadu Idol Wing-CID has traced two Chola era bronze idols that were stolen about 50 years ago from the Vishwanatha Swamy Temple at Alathur in Tiruvarur district and smuggled to the United States.

Concept :

• The Idol Wing traced the Somaskandar idol to the Freer Gallery of Art of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the Dancing Sambandar idol to Christies.com USA.

Chola Era Bronze Sculpture

• Although bronze images were modeled and cast during the Pallava period in the 8th and 9th centuries, some of the most beautiful and exquisite statues were produced during the Chola period in Tamil Nadu from 10th to 12th century AD.
• At the Brihadisvara temple at Tanjavur which is the most mature and majestic of the Chola temples, sculpture, there has attained a new maturity which is evident in the gracefully modeled contours of the figures, their flexed poses, delicate ornamentation, pleasing faces and certain freshness, all of which add charm to the work.
• Chola art not only influenced the art of Ceylon, but it travelled as far away as Java and Sumatra
• A good example of Chola craftsmanship in the 11th century is the relief carving of Siva as the irate god is engaged in a vigorous dance of fierce ecstasy after having killed the elephant demon, who has given so much trouble to the rishis and his devotees..
• The later phase of Chola art, in the 13th century, is illustrated by the sculpture showing Bhudevi or the earth goddess as the younger consort of Vishnu. She stands in a gracefully flexed attitude on a lotus base holding a lily in her right hand, while the left arm hangs along her side in.

Bronze sculpture tradition under the Cholas

• The art reached a high stage of development during this time
• The sculptors work during this time are famous for their elegance, sensitive modeling, and balanced tension
• Realism and attention to finer details reached its utmost perfection during this time.
• Ex: Clear demarcation of the areas of the body, such as the creases between the torso and the stomach, around the navel, sharp edges along the tibiae, a pointed nose, facial expressions are one of the most noticeable features of this time .

Sculpture Techniques

• Chola-period bronzes were created using the lost wax technique.
• Although bronze casting has a long history in south India, a much larger and a much greater number of bronze sculptures were cast during the Chola period than before, further attesting to the importance of bronze sculpture during this period.
• It should be noted that when in worship, these images are covered in silk cloths, garlands, and jewels, and would not appear as they do outside a religious context.