{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25158"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25158/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH0253/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH0253/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AH0253","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT9936","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC8386","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O25158/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25158","accessionNumber":"929(IS)","objectType":"Figure group","titles":[{"title":"Surya","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"The figurative carving of Surya who dominates the stele, his consort and attendants are carved almost in the round against a triangular-headed back-slab with decorative curled foliated and plain mouldings in high and low relief.  The god stands beneath a <i>kirttimukha</i> mask in a frontal, unflexed position holding, (although the left hand is missing) two sinuous tendrils of fully-opened lotus blossoms, which are held aloft by two small heavenly, figures (<i>apsarasas</i>). He wears a crown upon his head and a diaphanous robe over which he wears elaborate jewellery, including a belt, earrings, bracelets and necklace with long strands of pearls rippling diagonally across his body.  His sword lies beside his left leg and he is wearing boots. The small female figure who stands in front of his legs is probably his principal consort, Prabha (brightness), while his charioteer, Aruna, is depicted beneath her in a truncated form upon a double lotus pediment supported on a stepped plinth, from under which spring  his seven horses. Two similar attendant bearded figures with matted locks, potbellies and pearl jewellery stand in a <i>tribanga</i> position holding batons at the outer edge of the sculpture. Next to them are two smaller female attendants in three-quarter pose who appear to step forward with their<i> chauri </i>whisks held above their heads.  Beneath the left hand<i> </i>male figure stands the diminutive figure of a female archer dispelling darkness: her companion on the other side is now missing.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"black basalt","id":"x30176"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved black basalt","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Hinduism","id":"THES48941"},{"text":"India Museum","id":"THES286062"}],"styles":[{"text":"Pala Period","id":"x32276"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AH0253","2006AT9936","2017KC8386"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"BY007","id":"THES404125"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Figure","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Bihar","id":"x29823"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"12th century","earliest":"1100-01-01","latest":"1200-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Transferred from the India Museum in 1879.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"167","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"17/01/2024","earliest":"2024-01-17","latest":"2024-01-17"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"84.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"17/01/2024","earliest":"2024-01-17","latest":"2024-01-17"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"46","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"17/01/2024","earliest":"2024-01-17","latest":"2024-01-17"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Surya, the Sun God, standing erect and holding lotus blossoms.","historicalContext":"Surya, the Sun God, is represented riding his chariot drawn by seven horses, to be seen issuing from the base mouldings.  At his feet stands his consort Prabha, and beneath her Surya's charioteer, Aruna.  Worship of the sun in an anthropomorphic form was probably introduced to India from ancient Iran.  In medieval Hinduism Surya was sometimes identified with Vishnu, whose origins appear to be as a sun deity, the memory of which is preserved in his flaming wheel (cakra) and his vehicle, the sun bird Garuda.","briefDescription":"Surya, The Sun God, Black basalt, Pala period, Bihar, Eastern India, 12th century.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"The art of India and Pakistan, a commemorative catalogue of the exhibition held at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1947-8. Edited by Sir Leigh Ashton. London: Faber and Faber, [1950]","id":"AUTH343744"},"details":"p. 61, cat. no. 275","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Arts of Bengal : the heritage of Bangladesh and eastern India : an exhibition organized by the Whitechapel Art Gallery in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum : 9 November-30 December 1979, Whitechapel Art Gallery ..., 12 January-17 February 1980, Manchester City Art Gallery ... . [London]: Whitechapel Art Gallery, [1979] Number: 085488047X (pbk.) :","id":"AUTH339757"},"details":"fig.22, p.28","free":""}],"production":"Rajmahal Hills, Bihar, India","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Hinduism","id":"AAT73727"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Surya\r\n\r\n1100–1200 \r\nPala period \r\n\r\n\r\nThe origins of Hinduism and some of its deities may be traced \r\nback over 3000 years to the Rig Veda, the earliest Indian text. One \r\nof these deities is Surya, the Sun God, who is here represented \r\nstanding on a chariot drawn by seven horses. At Surya’s feet stands \r\nhis consort Prabha, and beneath her his charioteer, Aruna. Surya \r\nwears high boots, reflecting his Central Asian origins, and holds \r\nlotus blossoms. \r\n\r\nBlack basalt \r\nEastern India (Rajmahal Hills, Bihar) \r\n\r\n\r\nMuseum no. 929(IS) \r\n\r\n","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}},{"text":"SURYA\r\nBlack basalt\r\nFrom the Rajmahal Hills, Bihar\r\nEastern India\r\nPala period, 12th century \r\n\r\nSurya, the Sun God, is represented riding his chariot drawn by seven horses, to be seen issuing from the base mouldings. At his feet stands his consort Prabha, and beneath her Surya's charioteer, Aruna. Worship of the sun in an anthropomorphic form was probably introduced into India from ancient Iran. In medieval Hinduism Surya was sometimes identified with Vishnu, whose origins appear to be as a sun deity, the memory of which is preserved in his flaming wheel (cakra) and his vehicle the sun bird Garuda.\r\n\r\n929(IS)","date":{"text":"1988","earliest":"1988-01-01","latest":"1988-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["929(IS)"],"accessionNumberNum":"929","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-20","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-14","availableToBook":false}}