Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Udaipur District / c. 600
Mother Goddess
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Mother Goddess as sculpture (Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Udaipur District · c. 600).
This sculpture was one of twelve that were brought to a modern temple known as the Tanesar (Thaneshvara) Mahadeva Temple.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this sculpture as schist.
The museum's collection notes: Sets of mother goddesses were installed in shrines near the entrance to Hindu temples. From one of the most naturalistic and charming sets, this mother attentively grasps the wrist of her toddler to gently guide him, while smiling lovingly and patiently at him. The simplicity of garments and ornament is characteristic of sculpture of the sixth century, and the naturalistic qualities of this work from northwestern India suggest connections with the Greco-Roman styles of Gandhara, in present-day Pakistan.
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