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| Seated Woman |
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| India, Tamil Nadu; Pandya period, 8th - 9th century |
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| Granulite |
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| H. 67 in. (170.2 cm); W. 34 3/4 in. (88.3 cm) |
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| Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection of Asian Art |
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| 1979.016 |
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| The clothing, jewelry, and confident posture of this figure suggest that she might represent a queen. This identification is supported by the importance of women as patrons and the fairly early use of idealized portraits of rulers in the imagery of south Indian temples. However, it was unusual for women to wear the sacred thread, which drapes from the left shoulder across her torso, so it is also possible that this sculpture is a representation of a Hindu goddess. The position of the figure's right hand and the remnants of a stem and flower indicate that she was once holding a lotus, a gesture commonly used in representations of the goddess Parvati, Shiva's wife. |
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