Statuette of a deity. Gupta Empire, North India, 4th-6th century AD.

Statuette of a deity. Gupta Empire, North India, 4th-6th century AD.
Terracotta.
Damaged. The arms are missing.
Measurements: 20,5 cm.

This round sculpture represents a standing deity, with polished surface, adorned with an elaborate headdress with halo. It emphasizes its laborious detailing both in the face and in the body of the represented person.

The Gupta period was undoubtedly one of the most brilliant periods in the history of Indian art. The Gupta Empire was one of the largest political and military empires in the history of India, ruled by the dynasty of the same name between 320 and 550 AD, occupying most of Northern India and the current East Pakistan and Bangladesh. Thanks to the peace that prevailed during this period, the cultural level of the city was conducive to artistic, literary and even scientific development. Within the sculpture, characterized by its balanced and smiling aspect, the artistic centers of Mathura and Gandhara stood out, which exported their productions to other territories of northern India.