Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Sikar, Harshagiri, 10th century / c. 973
Frieze with Dancer and Musicians
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Frieze with Dancer and Musicians as sculpture (Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Sikar, Harshagiri, 10th century · c. 973).
The twisting, dynamic postures of the musicians in this frieze may visually echo the joyful music they are playing together.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this sculpture as sandstone.
The museum's collection notes: A dancer, who strikes a pose in the center, is accompanied by a full orchestra of musicians in lively variegated poses. At the far left, a woman plays the cymbals, her mouth open in song. Twisting turning postures of figures wrought in high relief with little background space behind them are characteristics of Indian sculpture from the medieval period. Music and dance were important components of devotional temple activities; they were considered as pleasing to the divinity and attractive for devotees as the works of sculpture and architecture.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtFrieze with Dancer and MusiciansOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.