Bronze or Kaansya/Kaansa in Indian culture has been a part of its craft and everyday life due to its use in sacred items, articles of luxury, and daily use objects. From the advent of the civilization of Harappa, the art of making bronze statues and artworks has remained the same. The lost-wax process followed by the Indian artists includes long and focused steps of collecting, preparing, sculpting, and finishing the icon.
Across the country, the technique learned from Harappa was adopted by regional artists, who formed their own iconography and themes that were popularized through Indian bronzes. This blog is a walk-through history to see how the metal and its sculptures became a symbol of India in modern times.
The Harappan civilization is marked by a large number of copper objects. Apart from making artifacts out of pure copper, Harappan craftspersons alloyed copper with arsenic, tin, or nickel. Copper and bronze artifacts included vessels, spears, knives, short swords, arrowheads, axes, fish hooks, needles, mirrors, rings, and bangles. Usually, tools like knives, axes, and chisels, which needed hardened edges were alloyed.
At Mohenjodaro, the number of bronze tools increased from six percent to 23 percent from the lower to the higher levels. One hoard found at Harappa consisted of a large cooking pot with a bronze cover. Inside were several copper tools. Seals were also made using Bronze as part of Harappan craft.
Apart from utilitarian items made from Bronze and copper, a few pieces of metal sculpture have been found at Harappan sites. Two bronze female figurines were found at Mohenjodaro. One of them is the famous ‘dancing girl’. This figurine was made by the lost wax method. The sculpture represents a very thin woman standing with her right hand on the back of her hip and her left hand resting on her left thigh.
Her arms are unnaturally long and she wears a necklace and 24-25 bangles on one hand. The ‘Dancing Girl’ from Mohenjodaro is perhaps the earliest bronze sculpture dated to 2500 BCE. Similarly, a hoard of bronze artifacts was discovered at Daimabad village stable in 1500 BCE.
The 'Dancing Girl' of Mohenjodaro
They reveal considerable casting skill and aesthetic finesse. These artifacts do not seem to have been utilitarian objects. They may have had a religious or ritualistic significance, and the fact that they were on wheels suggests that they were part of a procession. Metal figures of this kind have not been found elsewhere in India.
The transition to the early Vedic period with texts like Rig Veda Samhita gives us an idea about the usage of metals during that time. The hymns in Rig Veda mention many crafts and occupations but there are hardly any references to metallurgical activities in it. The word ayas occurs in several contexts which could have meant copper, copper-bronze, or a generic term for metals.
It is, however, certain that it was an article of common use in the 3rd century B.C. It is mentioned in both the medical treatises of Charaka and Shusruta as well as in Kautilya’s Arthashastra. Shusruta gives directions for drinking water in bronze vessels (besides those made of gold, silver, crystal, or earth). The lawgiver Manu gives directions for the purification, amongst others, of brass and bronze vessels.
Then again from the large quantities of ornamental bronze articles excavated at Tinnevelly in the Madras Presidency, it appears certain that bronze was known in Southern India at a very remote time. It is to be noted, however, that these bronze articles were either used as household utensils or for ornamental purposes, and along with them were associated weapons made of iron.
Bronze sculptures in India of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain icons can be traced back to the second century until the sixteenth century. Most of these were used for ritual worship and are characterized by exquisite beauty and aesthetic appeal. At the same time, the lost-wax method that was used since the Indus Valley Civilisation continued to be utilized for making articles for various purposes of daily use, such as utensils for cooking, eating, drinking, etc.
Interesting images of Jain Tirthankaras have been discovered from Chausa, Bihar, belonging to the Kushana Period during the second century CE. These bronzes show how the Indian sculptors mastered modeling the masculine human physique and simplified muscles. The hoard of bronzes discovered in Akota near Vadodara established that bronze casting was practised in Gujarat or western India between the sixth and ninth centuries.
The Guptas, Kushanas, and Vakatak dynasties also have great examples of Buddhist bronze sculptures. The typically refined style of these bronzes is the hallmark of the classical quality. The additional importance of the Gupta and Vakataka bronzes is that they were portable and monks carried them from place to place for individual worship or to be installed in Buddhist viharas.
In this manner, the refined classical style spread to different parts of India and Asian countries overseas. Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir regions also produced bronze images of Buddhist deities as well as Hindu gods and goddesses. Most of these were created during the eighth, ninth, and tenth centuries and have a very distinct style in comparison with bronzes from other parts of India.
Large-sized bronze sculptures of the Pala-Sena dynasty of the 8th century are remarkable for execution and finish. The 11th-century artists have made these lifeless figures come alive on stone. The bronze sculptures also flourished simultaneously in the 10th to 12th centuries. The casting of bronzes became the most distinctive form of sculpture in South India.
The period of the imperial Cholas was an age of continuous improvement and refinement of Dravidian art. The Chola bronzes were created using the lost wax technique, which is known in artistic terms as ‘Cire Perdue'.
The making of bronze sculptures in India has been titled “Madhuchista Vidhan” (bee wax), based on the wax that is used in crafting these statues. The basic steps included in bronze statue sculpting according to ancient texts of iconography and sculptures such as Vaishnava Agama works are-
☛ Making the icon in wax
☛ Making the core or garbha of the icon
☛ Making the icon in metal
1. The process begins with making a model of the actual statue in clay, which allows the sculptor to imagine the process and details. This is done because bronze or Panchaloha, the mix of five metals is costly and difficult to work with. Making a clay idol allows the artist to understand the subject and process, before using the actual material.
2. The next step involves covering the clay model with plaster and drying it up. Once it is dried, the clay is removed and the artist is left with a hollow plaster mold for the sculpting process.
3. The mold is filled with wax for a hollow cast statue and bronze is filled for a solid cast statue. Once the metal has settled, the cast is broken to get the statue out.
4. The icon is then cleaned with hand, paper, and cloth. Small tools are used to add finer details to the surface of the metal. With heat and polishing, the surface of the metal is refined further.
5. The eyes of the statue, in case it belongs to a deity, are ceremoniously opened, giving it life. Once the eyes are added, the statue is considered alive. In case of non-sacred subjects and decor or ritual articles, the art piece is cleaned and prepared for sale.
Exotic India Art has worked for over 25 years with Indian bronze artists from all over the country to collect a treasure of Indian sculptures made with pure metal. These statues are added to our curated collection, which is revamped and prepared according to the taste, demand, and popularity of the art among our patrons. Here are a few gems from our online and offline collection that represent the hard work and skill of Indian master artists-
As a timeless art piece that came from the workshop of Chola sculptors, Nataraja- Shiva as the Lord of Dance is undoubtedly the peak of Indian bronze art. Popular worldwide, this statue is a symbol of Indian asthetics, embodying movement, grace, and tranquility in a way that has no comparison. Nataraja bronzes represent everything that is good in Indian bronzes and is thus a favorite of collectors, devotees, and anyone who feels moved by art.
Though Chola has become synonymous with bronze in the world art scene, Hoysala bronzes are a refined tradition of bronze sculpting that can not be overlooked. For the lovers of metal art and Indian culture, Hoysala bronzes carry details, dexterity, and divinity that are unseconded. These sculptures have a sense of life, exquisite ornamentation, and scale that makes them a must-have artwork for connoisseurs.
One of the most appealing chractersitc of Indian bronzes is the femininity, elegance, and grace that metal expresses in these artworks. The hardness of bronze is overpowered by the rich expressive sculpting, especially in the icons of Hindu goddesses such as Uma-Parvati, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Lalita-Tripurasundari, who are imagined in traditional Indian art as ideals of femininity and beauty. Bronzes of Uma- standing and sitting as Bhogashkati, are a part of Tamil temples, and a representation of the skill of the sculptor, who makes life flow in metal.
It is awe-inspring how solid bronze becomes dramatically animated when it comes to Indian bronze sculpting. This masterpiece depicting the moment of Vishnu as Narasimha annihilating the demon Hiranyakashyapu by tearing his belly successfully captures the wrath, power, and drama of the moment as described in Hindu Puranas.
Emerging in a culture of stories, the metal art in India transformed itself to become a narrative art, to an extent where ancient stories and sacred legends could be recreated with perfection, and bronzes appear as if an eternal performance of divine drama is happening.
There are moments in Hindu Puranas and sacred texts that represent the divinity and protection of the god and goddess for the devotees. These moments or stories are symbols of faith, due to which Indian bronzes have recreated them since the beginning of the technique.
The theme of Kaliya-Krishna or Kalinga-Krishna, where the young Lord dances on the hood of the serpent Kaliya, is one such subject that brings devotion and serenity to the heart of the viewer. Bronzes of Lilas are thus cultural motifs that solidify stories of belief and grace, making them not only asthetic gems but also sources of Bhakti.
Pot-bellied, elephant-headed, childlike Ganesha, seems more adorable than royal. However, in the asthetics of bronzes, especially Chola bronzes, Ganesha is presented as a royal, powerful, and beautiful divinity. Icons of Narthan-Vinayakara or dancing Ganesha are some of the best examples of Indian bronzes, where the enormity of the Lord is balanced with visible elegance, which exemplifies the vision of the Sthapati or sculptor, who sees beauty in everything.
Festivals in Indian culture are events that bring regions and people together, and are one of the core elements of the country’s ancient culture. In many iconic bronze statues from India, one can find the depiction of these events, one such example being this heavenly Kalyana-Sundaram, a scene of Shiva and Parvati’smarriage, which is annually celebrated in Tamil Nadu in temples of Shiva. Capturing the ambiance of the festival, this bronze is a commemorative piece, taking the sacred tradition where ever it goes.
One of the first statues of the Buddha to make waves across international art world are his life-size stone sculptures. The beauty and wisdom captured in these statues are also found in the bronze statues of Buddha, where different episodes of his life, Buddha in various poses and gestures and many Buddhist deities are depcited. Classic depctions of Buddha include Buddha in meditation, Buddha giving seremon and Buddha blessing the devotees.
A key part of Tamil temple art are the statues of Vaishnava and Shaiva saints- Alavar and Nayanars, who are placed alongside the temple deities and worshipped for their supreme devotion. Bronze statues of devotees inspired by their traditional iconography as seen in South Indian temple art, are an expression of Indian culture where devotee becomes divine due to their virtues of self-surrender.
Inspired from the sculptures that decorate the sanctum of temples, many bronze statues have been crafted that are a part of the sacred architecture and are used as decor and display items in modern times. Deepalakshmi- beautiful women standing with Deepa or lamp in their hands, adorned in traditional ornaments and dresses are a popular iconography depicted in Indian bronzes.
A symbol of eternal devotion, Deepalakshmi have been included in the decoration scheme of modern spaces, as parts of Indian heritage. Other bronze articles include statues of Apsaras, Hindu River goddesses such as Ganga and Yamuna and attendants of deities.
The focus of this blogs have been the Chola bronzes, which are a representative of the art of metal sculpting. However, there are many other unique techniques of bronze statue making in India, such as Dhokra art of Central India, in which the exact method of Harappan period is used. There are Kerala bronzes with their detailed and distinct features.
Pala period bronzes, which are stored in museums of Bihar and negibouring region are another selection of Indian bronzes that needs to be studied. In every part of the country, the sacred and ancient metal is being sculpted into unforgettable pieces of art. Explore the collection of Indian bronzes on Exotic India Art to discover bronzes according to your taste and vision, and welcome an unparalleled piece of art home.
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