MALE HEAD
Shunga Dynasty
Bengal, 1st Century BC
Terracotta
Height: 1.75 in (4.5 cm)
Width: 1.5 in (4 cm)
Depth: 1.25 in (3 cm)
This sculpture is attached to a wooden base measuring 1.75 x 1.75 x 1 in (4.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 cm)
NON-EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY
PROVENANCE
Formerly in the Collection of Late Gopi Krishna Kanoria, Patna
Terracotta sculptures produced in Bengal, particularly in and around Chandraketugarh, are distinguished by their elaborate headgear, ornate jewellery, and fine detailing. Often linked to fertility cults and household shrines, these works frequently depict secular themes, including seated couples, narrative scenes, and animals with riders. They belong to a period that predates the widespread emergence of formalised religious iconography in sculptural form.
The present male head features a tall, elongated headdress, a feature often seen in larger narrative terracottas. Despite its small scale, the facial features are crisply articulated: the eyes, nose, and lips are clearly visible, and the gaze possesses an intensity typical of this very early phase.
Shunga Dynasty
Bengal, 1st Century BC
Terracotta
Height: 1.75 in (4.5 cm)
Width: 1.5 in (4 cm)
Depth: 1.25 in (3 cm)
This sculpture is attached to a wooden base measuring 1.75 x 1.75 x 1 in (4.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 cm)
NON-EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY
PROVENANCE
Formerly in the Collection of Late Gopi Krishna Kanoria, Patna
Terracotta sculptures produced in Bengal, particularly in and around Chandraketugarh, are distinguished by their elaborate headgear, ornate jewellery, and fine detailing. Often linked to fertility cults and household shrines, these works frequently depict secular themes, including seated couples, narrative scenes, and animals with riders. They belong to a period that predates the widespread emergence of formalised religious iconography in sculptural form.
The present male head features a tall, elongated headdress, a feature often seen in larger narrative terracottas. Despite its small scale, the facial features are crisply articulated: the eyes, nose, and lips are clearly visible, and the gaze possesses an intensity typical of this very early phase.