Cleveland Museum of Art

Frieze with Dancer and Musicians

Date

c. 973

Medium

sandstone

Culture

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Sikar, Harshagiri, 10th century

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

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 devotees as the works of sculpture and architecture. The twisting, dynamic postures of the musicians in this frieze may visually echo the joyful music they are playing together.

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