Frieze with Dancer and Musicians
Unknown Artist
c. 973
Medium
sandstone
Dimensions
33.4 × 95.3 × 11.3 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1969.34
About this artwork
A dancer, who strikes a pose in the center, is accompanied by a full orchestra of musicians in lively variegated poses. At the far left, a woman plays the cymbals, her mouth open in song. Twisting turning postures of figures wrought in high relief with little background space behind them are characteristics of Indian sculpture from the medieval period. Music and dance were important components of devotional temple activities; they were considered as pleasing to the divinity and attractive for de...