The Age of the Imperial Guptas c9.135

c9.135

The art of Bhumra shows the climax reached in the production of human forms during the Gupta period, that of Deogadh the first stage in its decline and the fragments of bas-reliefs at Mundeśvarī the final decline in the post Gupta period of the 5th century. Intermediate between them are the great fragments from Gadhwa in the Allahabad district, now preserved in the Lucknow Museum. In decorative art the Gadhwa fragments appear to be earlier than the earliest period of the building of the Daśāvatāra temple at Deogadh. The climbing Nereids in the arches of the meandering creeper are of the Eastern or the Pāṭaliputra school type from the modelling of their torsos.¹ All four bas-reliefs preserved in the Lucknow Museum are certainly older than the oldest work at Deogadh and cruder in comparison with the finished art of Bhumra. The figure work of Gadhwa bas-reliefs is strongly reminiscent of the Mathurā school though in the lintels the special characteristics of the Benares school are seen to be overcoming Mathurā influence.²