The Age of the Imperial Guptas c9.44

c9.44

To another portion of Central India belongs the credit of possessing the best examples of facial expression in Gupta art. I do not think that the face on the *Eka-mukha-liṅga* at Khoh has been surpassed in this direction. That on the specimen found inside the temple at Bhumra also belongs to the foremost rank, but the figure of the kneeling dwarf discovered by the writer at Khoh certainly stands second only to the *liṅga* at Khoh¹. The face of the Gaṇeśa discovered inside one of the smaller temples in front of the bigger temple of Śiva at Bhumra is also natural but inexpressive.² Much more expressive is the bust of Śiva ³ on the boss of the lintel at Bhumra compared to which the face of Nārāyaṇa on the boss of the lintel of the Daśāvatara temple at Deodgadh is mute.