This brass cast representing a celestial damsel applying vermilion to her hair-parting excels, in its proportions and finish, the finest of Chola bronzes. The brass, a comparatively tough metal, used in the casting of this statue, has been softened to gold's plasticity and lustre. The minuteness, with which each detail has been carved, renders it difficult for any eye to believe that it is a brass piece.
The statue presents a pleasant blend of the skills of a jeweler who endows it with finest details and the vision of an aesthetician that shapes the figure adhering to the highest beauty norms. One gives it its glittering adornment and the other its proportions, unique figure and over-all impact.
The maiden, represented in this statue, has been modeled on the line on which Khajuraho sculptor, working at its Parasanath temple, modeled his Srangar-rata nayika holding a mirror in her left hand and applying vermilion with the other. The Khajuraho maiden is possessed of the celestial charm and the transcendental beauty, as are the mythical denizens of the Indraloka.
The represented figure is hence known as apsara, a superhuman maid. This brass statue, due to the greater plasticity of its medium and being a subsequent work, with other models and ideals of beauty in perception, marks a subtle improvement over its stone counterpart.
It blends, in its modeling, the grace and plasticity of the worldwide known Gyaraspur Yakshi as well. Khajuraho apsara is broadly a relief, which has limited scope to depict the beauty of figure's back. This statue has greater perspective to feed the viewing eye. In its total impact, the figure of the damsel, represented by this brass piece, is endowed with greater mystic charm, mythical beauty and divine grace, such as are not the attributes of this world.
As a matter of fact, it is the unique treatment of beauty and grace and the great artistic skill that the figures carved in Khajuraho stones, or even here in this metal piece, appear to be the inhabitants of a world beyond the world of man. But, in reality, the artists, working on them, had in their minds only the human figures as well as human aesthetics as perceived by ancient masters.
They identified the Indian maid, the nayika, not only in her various characters but also in her various roles and wove around such classifications their aesthetics. Each nayika type had its own demeanour as well as the specific attributes of physique, that is, the body aesthetics and the body language. This statue depicts one of the steps of solah-srangar, that is, the sixteen steps of dressing and adorning a maid. In Indian tradition, it is essential for a married woman to have vermilion mark above her forehead on the hair-parting.
She is wearing various ornaments as these aesthetics prescribe for a married damsel. Each ornament, carved of the ordinary brass, is a real jewel by any parameter. In a pleasant gesture, the damsel is holding a mirror in her left hand and is applying vermilion with the right. This gesture curves her figure correspondingly, the left hip protruding and the right recessing.
Her lean belly also tilts to right and the fascinatingly moulded breasts make the forward thrust. The face tilted slightly to her left, diagonally angled arms, right leg's backward thrust and the geometry of the entire figure create its own music and produce its own rhythm, which a sensitive ear listens and eye perceives.
This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of ancient Indian literature. Dr Daljeet is the chief curator of the Visual Arts Gallery at the National Museum of India, New Delhi. They have both collaborated on numerous books on Indian art and culture.
How to keep a Brass statue well-maintained?
Brass statues are known and appreciated for their exquisite beauty and luster. The brilliant bright gold appearance of Brass makes it appropriate for casting aesthetic statues and sculptures. Brass is a metal alloy composed mainly of copper and zinc. This chemical composition makes brass a highly durable and corrosion-resistant material. Due to these properties, Brass statues and sculptures can be kept both indoors as well as outdoors. They also last for many decades without losing all their natural shine.
Brass statues can withstand even harsh weather conditions very well due to their corrosion-resistance properties. However, maintaining the luster and natural beauty of brass statues is essential if you want to prolong their life and appearance.
In case you have a colored brass statue, you may apply mustard oil using a soft brush or clean cloth on the brass portion while for the colored portion of the statue, you may use coconut oil with a cotton cloth.
Brass idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses are especially known for their intricate and detailed work of art. Nepalese sculptures are famous for small brass idols portraying Buddhist deities. These sculptures are beautified with gold gilding and inlay of precious or semi-precious stones. Religious brass statues can be kept at home altars. You can keep a decorative brass statue in your garden or roof to embellish the area and fill it with divinity.
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