Radha and Krishna Dancing

$2080
Item Code: RY84
Specifications:
South Indian Temple Wood Carving
Height: 36.5 inch
Width: 17.5 inch
Depth: 5.7 inch
Weight: 14.50 kg
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
Shipped to 153 countries
Shipped to 153 countries
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
A brilliant art-piece, for a sanctum or a drawing hall, carved out of ordinary but tough seasoned timber sustainable against every adversity, the season’s or the moth’s, represents Radha and Krishna, one of the most popular subjects of Indian arts but represents it as much unconventionally. A three-curved – ‘tri-bhanga’ image of Lord Krishna, playing on his flute, is his most usual posture but Radha dancing to its notes transforming the melody into the curves and moves of her figure : the image of an ‘apsara’ on a Khajuraho-like medieval temple’s offset, is a rare vision of Radha, Krishna’s eternal love. Strangely, both figures have been carved not only as standing but also engaged in energetic exuberant dance, fast-moving and highly gesticulated, and all unsupported, without a Prabhavali or any structure holding, framing or supporting them, and yet a mere routine pedestal balances them.

In theological or textual tradition allusions to Krishna, with a certain amount of divinity vested in him, begin appearing in the Rig-Veda itself. In the Mahabharata, he emerges not only as the champion of the Great War and a great philosopher who propounds the doctrine of ‘Karma-yoga’ but also as one who incarnated Vishnu. His votive or commemorative icons begin appearing by around the first or second century of the Common Era. In these early texts and sculptures and subsequent deification by Puranas Krishna’s was a sublime image abounding in great serenity, divinity and majesty suited to Vishnu. The Bhagavata Purana not only alternated the ritual worship by devotional love discovering a new path of ‘bkakti’ – devotion of realizing him but also humanised his image.

Adding sensuous aspects in his poem Gita-Govinda Jaideva completely revolutionized Krishna’s image. Now a cowherd boy he longed to meet Radha and Radha, at times jealous of other cowherd maidens in Krishna’s company and sometimes angry with Krishna, mad in his love awaited him. Krishna played on his flute and dragged cowherd maidens who rushed to him and danced around. Radha, the ‘Manini’, a woman who felt offended if ignored by her lover, was different. The strength of her love dragged Krishna to her. Hence, in usual iconographic perception a flute-playing Krishna and Radha were often together and sensuous indulgence defined their beings but Radha, the ‘Manini’, is not known to have danced for him. Obviously, this vision of a Radha dancing to the notes of Krishna’s flute is exceptional, perhaps influenced by the ‘apsara’-cult of the subsequent temple-art.

This highly accomplished example of woodcraft represents Krishna in ‘tri-bhanga’ – three-curved posture, playing on his flute. As if the overwhelming melody is bursting not from the flute but from his being, Krishna’s entire image appears to have curved to its notes – their rise and fall. There bursts from his figure, and Radha’s, a divine rapture. The inner bliss that reveals on the faces of Radha and Krishna is, perhaps, the most outstanding feature of these twin images. The artist has captured the divine couple when they reach the peak of divine ecstasy and are in complete trance. Round faces, emotionally charged eyes, artistically curving eye-brows, elegantly carved chins and well defined necks, besides the Radha’s sensuously modeled anatomy and beautifully dressed hair and Krishna’s excited demeanour, all reveal exceptional beauty possessed of the strange power to sublimate the mind and effect transcendence. It is outstanding in plasticity, modeling, artistic merit and a symmetrically conceived anatomy, particularly the recessed bellies and shoulders of the two figures. Alike astonishing are their costumes designed with patterns as fine as embroidered or painted.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.


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Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder. A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.
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2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.
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3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.
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4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.
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How to care for Wood Statues?


Wood is extensively used in sculpting especially in countries like China, Germany, and Japan. One feature that makes the wood extremely suitable for making statues and sculptures is that it is light and can take very fine detail. It is easier for artists to work with wood than with other materials such as metal or stone. Both hardwoods, as well as softwood, are used for making sculptures. Wood is mainly used for indoor sculptures because it is not as durable as stone. Changes in weather cause wooden sculptures to split or be attacked by insects or fungus. The principal woods for making sculptures and statues are cedar, pine, walnut, oak, and mahogany. The most common technique that sculptors use to make sculptures out of wood is carving with a chisel and a mallet. Since wooden statues are prone to damage, fire, and rot, they require proper care and maintenance.

 

  • Wood tends to expand and contract even after it has been processed, thus it is always recommended to keep the wooden sculptures in rooms with little humidity. Excess moisture can harm your masterpiece.

 

  • Periodical dusting of the finished piece is necessary to maintain its beauty as dust accumulation on the surface takes away the shine of the sculpture. You can use a clean and soft cloth or a hairbrush for this purpose.

 

  • You must avoid applying any chemical-based solutions that may damage the wood from the inside. Instead, you can apply lemon oil or coconut oil using a cotton rag to the sculpture to bring out its natural shine. Lemon oil also helps to clean any stains on the sculpture.

 

  • Applying a layer of beeswax protects the wood from sun damage and hides even the smallest imperfections on the wood.

 

It is extremely important to preserve and protect wooden sculptures with proper care. A little carelessness and negligence can lead to their decay, resulting in losing all their beauty and strength. Therefore, a regular clean-up of the sculptures is a must to prolong their age and to maintain their shine and luster. 

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