classical chola sculptures from Nageshwan temple, Kumbakonam

The elegant posture of this man is an expression of confidence of the chola artists had in the material they handled - often hard granite stones (unlike the sandstone with which the northindian artists carved), the subject matter, and in the technique. It also shows the royal and regal positions the chola enjoyed at that point of the time. when i first saw these sculptures during the slide show presented by Prof. Jeyaram Poduval, at MSU, i understood for the first time the meaning of 'classical' in Indian art.

chola sculptures

These sculptures stand in the niche of the Nageswaran temple. These are found on the outside of the garbhagraha wall. Intrestingly, the 12th century chola temple has been incorporated by the later additions. In this particular scultpture you can see how the artist has done the modelling of the human body, the fold of the flesh all showing the maturity of the period in art. The chola artists not only acheived the classical idiom in bronze but also in the hard granite stone.

chola sculptures at Ngeshwaram temple, Kumbakonam

CHOLA SCULPTURES from kumbakonam

these classical chola sculptures at Nagaeshwaran temple, Kumbakonam carved crisply in classical idiom showcases the chola art.

siva at dharasuram, TN