North India

Divine masculine or princely head in terracotta, North India, probably Uttar Pradesh, Gupta period, 5th–6th century CE. This expressive terracotta head belongs to the Northern Indian sculptural tradition during the Gupta period. The face features wide open eyes outlined by clearly drawn eyelids, arched eyebrows, a prominent nose, and a full, slightly smiling mouth. The figure wears an elaborate hairstyle or ceremonial turban arranged around a frontal band and a broad, voluminous upper mass. Large discoid earrings frame the face. A small circular relief marker appears at the center of the forehead, probably of religious or auspicious character. The piece is hollow, using a technique suited to making and firing terracotta of this size. A wide opening below the neck allows observation of the sculpture’s internal structure. The more elaborate modeling of the face contrasts with the freer, more schematic treatment of the reverse, characteristic of a work primarily intended to be viewed frontally or in three-quarter view. The style and technique show particularly interesting affinities with the major terracotta productions of Uttar Pradesh and, notably, the artistic area of Ahichchhatra, one of the main centers of terracotta production in northern India during the Gupta era. This comparison constitutes a stylistic attribution; no precise archaeological provenance to Ahichchhatra is claimed. The exact identity of the figure cannot be established with certainty. It could be a male deity or a high-ranking princely figure. A precise identification with Vishnu, Karttikeya, or a Buddhist figure cannot be demonstrated by the attributes preserved. The surface retains pink to reddish-orange tones under beige light and whitish deposits. The reliefs show uniform wear, while the hollows retain more deposits. Condition: old restoration missing on the reverse, whose edges are worn and integrated into the piece’s overall surface, as well as various scratches and small, old losses. No restoration or reassembly of terracotta is visible in the examined documentation. The piece is presented on a modern metal base. Provenance: former private Belgian collection, acquired between 1979 and 2009, then passed down in 2023. Dimensions excluding the base: 17 × 10.5 × 8.5 cm. Weight: 593 g. No thermoluminescence analysis has been performed. The proposed attribution and dating are based on stylistic, technical, material, and comparative study of the piece. video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ippwh4s6evu0bkk6vtyy0/AM8rQekunKF_99gN5mDkLzE?rlkey=06vnx1sxotuyrj03ae0i0d1na&dl=0

Estimation:€1,600

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