Brass statue of mounted warrior-Indian?

olikara · 21st November 2007, 09:52 AM

Andy,
It is a nice piece that your friend picked up. It is art work done by the Tribals of the Bastar and Orissa regions of India.

The Lost Wax method of making sculpture is still practised in those areas of India. The trappings on the horse are very typical of that area and that is the give away.

However, I am not qualified enough to tell you what period the figure is from. But 9 chances out of 10 are that it is recently made. In India the tourist trade is diverse as in perhaps all other countries. So we find items from Bastar or Bengal being sold to tourists in Kashmir and Kashmiri carpets being sold to tourists visiting Madras which is 3000 kms. away.

A nice piece nonetheless.

Andy Stevens · 21st November 2007, 02:19 PM

Olikara, I thank you very much! I have looked in several books without any succsess, the wisdom on this forum never ceases to amaze. I wonder, is the figure a representation of a warrior, or deity? The horse furniture is like nothing I've seen before, what period of Indian history does it represent, or is more decorative than an factual? Thanks

21st November 2007, 09:52 AM	#1
olikara Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: India Posts: 102	Tribal Handicraft Andy, It is a nice piece that your friend picked up. It is art work done by the Tribals of the Bastar and Orissa regions of India. The Lost Wax method of making sculpture is still practised in those areas of India. The trappings on the horse are very typical of that area and that is the give away. However, I am not qualified enough to tell you what period the figure is from. But 9 chances out of 10 are that it is recently made. In India the tourist trade is diverse as in perhaps all other countries. So we find items from Bastar or Bengal being sold to tourists in Kashmir and Kashmiri carpets being sold to tourists visiting Madras which is 3000 kms. away. A nice piece nonetheless.

21st November 2007, 02:19 PM	#2
Andy Stevens Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: London Posts: 155	Olikara, I thank you very much! I have looked in several books without any succsess, the wisdom on this forum never ceases to amaze. I wonder, is the figure a representation of a warrior, or deity? The horse furniture is like nothing I've seen before, what period of Indian history does it represent, or is more decorative than an factual? Thanks