{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O59203"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O59203/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AP8147/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AP8147/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AP8147","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018LC2704","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O59203/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O59203","accessionNumber":"IS.61-1963","objectType":"Figure","titles":[{"title":"Ambika","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This sculpture is of the voluptuous Jain goddess Ambika, who is worshipped on behalf of mothers and infants. Here, she is shown seated on a double lotus pedestal throne beneath a mango tree. She protectively holds an infant with her left hand, whilst a second child stands on the lower freize reaching up to her. \n\nIn her right hand, Ambika holds a mango branch.The mango is symbolically associated with rounded female forms, especially breasts. This association is underscored by the similarity between the Sanskrit and Hindi words for mango (<i>amra</i> and <i>amb</i>, <i>amba</i>) and mother (<i>amba</i> and <i>amma</i>). \r\n\r\nAmbika's <i>vahana</i> or vehicle is the lion, which is seen seated beneath the lotus pedestal throne. It is accompanied by the figures of two kneeling worshippers, who may be the donors who commissioned this sculpture.\r\n\r\nAmbika is the attendant deity associated with Neminatha, the 22nd Jain <i>tirthanakara</i> (ford-maker). Neminatha is depicted in his haloed form directly above Ambika. He is flanked by his attendants, garland bearers and celestial musicians.","physicalDescription":"The voluptuous goddess Ambika is depicted seated under a mango tree holding a child. She sits upon a double lotus pedestal throne beneath which a lion is seated. The lion is her <i>vahana</i>or vehicle and is flanked by two kneeling worshippers to its left, these figures are possibly representative of the donors who commissioned this sculpture.\n\nAmbika is worshipped on behalf of mothers and infants, this is alluded to by the child that she holds, and the second child that stands beneath the throne reaching up to her. Ambika's left hand is protectively wrapped around the infant that she holds, whilst in her right hand she holds a mango branch. The mango has an iconographical association with rounded female forms, especially breasts, this is underscored by the similarity between the words for \"mango\" in Sanskrit (<i>amra</i>) and Hindi (<i>amb, amba</i>) and likewise the words for \"mother\" (<i>amba</i> and <i>amma</i>, respectively). ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"chlorite","id":"AAT11079"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Grey chlorite","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Jain","id":"THES49013"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AP8147","2018LC2704"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"47C","id":"THES49795"},"free":"","case":"WS","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Stela","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Odisha","id":"x29837"},"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":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"52","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"27","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"14.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"53","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Height including modern mount","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"15.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Depth including modern mount","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The mango and its iconographical association with rounded female forms, especially breasts, is underscored by the similarity between the words for \"mango\" in Sanskrit (amra) and Hindi (amb, amba) and likewise the words for \"mother\" (amba and amma, respectively).\n\nIn 1825 Andrew Stirling observed that many of the sculptures made of the local chlorite stone were the remains of demolished Jain temples, which had been collected from the Khandagiri Hill region of Odhisha (Skelton 1965, 40).\n\nThis sculpture was purchased from Robert D.H. Bryden.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"A grey chlorite figure of the Goddess Ambika. This sculpture was produced during the 12th century in Odisha, India.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Andrew Stirling wrote in 1825 that many sculptures made of the local chlorite stone were collected in the region of Khandagiri Hill, Odisha. He also noted that they were from the remains of demolished medieval Jain temples (Skelton 1965, 40).\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n"},{"reference":{"text":"Pal, Pratapaditya Dr. (Ed.) <i>The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India</i>, New York and London, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and V&A, 1995","id":"AUTH353257"},"details":"p.177","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John: <u>Indian Temple Sculpture</u>, London, V & A Publication, 2007, p.161 pl.182.\r\nISBN 9781851775095."},{"reference":{"text":"L'escultura en el temples indis : l'art de la devoció : exposició organitzada per la Fundació \"La Caixa\" i el Victoria & Albert Museum, Londres. [Barcelona: Obra social, Fundació \"la Caixa\", c2007 Number: 9788476649466","id":"AUTH339669"},"details":"p.188, Cat.149","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Dehejia, Vidya (ed). <u>Devi: the Great Goddess: Female Divinity in South Asian Art</u>. Washington, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1999, pp.304-5.\r\n"},{"reference":{"text":"Ambikā in Jaina art and literature / Maruti Nandan Prasad Tiwari. New Delhi: Bharatiya Jnanpith, 1989","id":"AUTH346232"},"details":"p. 107, pl. 58","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Ayers, J. Oriental Art in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London 1983, ISBN 0-85667-120-7","id":"AUTH347571"},"details":"p. 63","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Irwin, John C., Indian Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1968","id":"AUTH348144"},"details":"pl. 61","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Irwin, John; Indian Art: Victoria & Albert Museum Departmental Guide, H.M.S.O. ISBN 0 905209117, 1978","id":"AUTH348999"},"details":"front cover","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Jainism","id":"AAT143540"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The Jain Goddess Ambika \r\n\r\n\r\n1150–1200 \r\nEastern Ganga period \r\n\r\nAmbika is the goddess or yakshi worshipped on behalf of \r\nmothers and infants. She is seated with her child beneath \r\na mango tree (associated with female fertility) and holds a \r\nmango stem. Her second child, her sacred vehicle the lion,\r\nand two worshippers appear below. She is also the helper \r\nof the 22nd Jain saviour, Neminatha, whose haloed figure \r\ncan be seen sitting above. \r\n\r\nGrey chlorite\r\nEastern India (Orissa) \r\n\r\n\r\nMuseum no. IS.61-1963 ","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.61-1963"],"accessionNumberNum":"61","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1963,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN5592","2019LR3034","2019LT4696","2019LV9972"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-07","recordCreationDate":"2001-05-24","availableToBook":false}}