South Indian Bronzes: A Historical Survey of South Indian Sculpture with Iconographical Notes Based on Original Sources c9.67

c9.67

of casting metal images has continued throughout the 14th and 15th centuries up to our times. The religious patronage which the Chola princes extended to the image-makers was followed by their descendents and successors and also by private citizens and merchants and the common people; such patronage has varied from time to time under various surrounding circumstances, the fates of the ruling dynasties or the religious activity of the particular periods. The impetuous current of Saiva fanatic zeal lost much of its force with the fall of the Chola powers and also with the rival activity of the Vaishnava movement and finally received a fatal check by the Mahomedan invasion led by Malik Kafur in 1310 A.D. The Nāyakas of Madura and later on the Maharattas at Tanjore who were both Saivaites tried to keep up the temple festivities and to revive the patronage for religious art which was so fashionable during the Chola rule but the original character of the sculptor's art which attained its highest water-mark about the 9th and 10th centuries had lost its vitality. The Nāyakas (1549-1673) no doubt, kept up the waning flame for a time and made substantial contributions to the art of the South, as will be evident from their stone architecture and the sculptures associated with them which are typically represented by the famous Choultry of Tirumala at Madura (1623-59). But soon after the Nayakas had lost their power the last stay of the royal patronage which had kept the practice of the arts at such a high level was gone and the art of the South Indian sculptor distinctly took a downward course. The ruling dynasties at Vijayanagar also tried for a time to imitate the lavish religious patronage of their predecessors but their influence was less important and the sphere of their activities was comparatively narrow and their artistic undertaking was relatively meagre and could hardly recall the times that preceded them.