Mithuna (Loving Couple) (Study Collection)

Art Historical Context

This delicate terracotta sculpture, titledMithuna (Loving Couple)*, hails from the ancient kingdom of Kashmir in northern India, dating to the 8th century or. Measuring just 2 1/4 inches in diameter, is a petite yet expressive relief, likely a molded clay plaque crafted through traditional terracotta techniques—hand-forming or pressing into molds, then firing for durability. Such small-scale works were common in South Asian art for personal devotion or architectural embellishment. In Kashmiri culture, *mithuna* figures depict embracing couples, symbolizing fertility, love, and the joyous *shr...