Artwork Page for Fertility Goddess

Details / Information for Fertility Goddess

Fertility Goddess

100s CE

Pakistan, Gandhara, reportedly Charsada, early Kushan period

Medium
terracotta
Measurements
height: 26.7 cm (10 1/2 in.)
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund 1977.58
Public Domain
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Location
242A Ancient India
Print

Description

Female figures fashioned from terracotta were found at large man-made pools of water in early Buddhist sacred compounds. They indicate the importance of art and rites associated with fertility and childbirth among the Buddhist laity, of which women were a major component. The wreath, small breasts, and gentle modeling of her full-hipped body associate this figure with Greco-Roman imagery.
A tan terracotta sculpture depicts a nude female figure standing on a small base, her arms extended outward with palms facing forward. She has wide hips and wears a thick wreath of carved leaves. Her face features wide-set eyes and a narrow nose. Her legs taper to join above the ankles, ending in feet with distinct toes. Visible cracks mark the figure's upper arms and chest.

Fertility Goddess

100s CE

Pakistan, Gandhara, reportedly Charsada, early Kushan period

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