South Indian Bronzes: A Historical Survey of South Indian Sculpture with Iconographical Notes Based on Original Sources c9.62

c9.62

I adore Mahesha along with Uma, who is seated on the lotus-throne in the Sukhāsana (easy) pose, He having the Jatā mukuta (coronet of matted locks) with the crescent was till then a living faith shared by the king and the people alike. Numerous images of later times have been found and are still coming to light year after year, during the explorations of the Government Epigraphists, and of the Archæological officers of the Madras circle, which go to show that many artistically important images were made throughout the period between the 14th century, the time of the close of the Chola influence, and the present time. Some of them are beautiful specimens of their kind though they belong to an age of decadence and are very far removed from the strength and fine technique of the earlier images, the most typical of which we find in the corridor of the Brihadeswar temple. Indeed this group of copper images must at present form the starting point of the study of the South Indian bronzes. Many of the old deserted temples in the districts of Tanjore and Trinchinopoly have yielded up their treasures and during the last few years most of the old images of these temples have been ransacked by dealers and curio-hunters and have passed into the hands of many European collectors, some having found their places in the Continental Museums, the most important specimens being in the collection of the Musèe Guimet, Paris, and in the Holland Museum. A curious archaic bronze figure discovered in Adichanallur in the district of Tinnevelly (figure 17) deserves notice by itself, although it cannot in any way be connected with the cult-images and the school of bronzes we have been considering here. The workmanship is very rude and suggests a primitive style. The tunic and the trousers in which the figure is dressed proclaim a foreign and non-Hindu subject. Another archaic figure (Plate LXX) recently acquired by the Madras Museum is of greater interest as it seems to be related to the Saivaite bronzes. There is some difficulty in identifying the figure. It has been suggested that it represents Venugopalaswamy. From the peculiarity of the head-dress one would be inclined to identify it as Aayanār son of Siva, although in its pose it recalls the figure of Rāma (vide Plates LXXI, LXXII). It has special resemblance with the figure of Rāma in (Plate LXXI). Before all the best existing examples, some of which are still stowed away in the temple corridors and underground cells, are accessible and made available for study, it will not be possible to undertake an adequate survey of the South Indian bronzes with a view to trace their history and the style which they evolved in the different periods. As we have found the practice the Roman world, and the most important events of the reign of Antoninus Pius, are related by his biographer, and the reader will not be sorry to find them here in a more concise form. The reign of Antoninus Pius is marked by the rare advantage of furnishing very few materials for history; which is only another mode of saying that its happiness was complete. During the twenty-three years of his administration, the Roman empire was governed by the same invariable maxims of justice and peace. The natives of a vast extent of country were protected by the same laws, and enjoyed the same privileges. The frontiers were defended by the same legions, and the same spirit of moderation and equity prevailed in the councils of the emperor. The death of Antoninus was lamented as a public calamity; and the memory of his virtues was preserved by the gratitude of his subjects, and the imitation of his successor.