Indian Bronze Sculpture Notes in English Class 11 Fine Art Chapter-7 Book-1

1. Mastery in Bronze Craft

Indian sculptors excelled in bronze casting, just as they did in terracotta and stone carving. They used the cire-perdu or 'lost-wax' technique, a method known since the Indus Valley Civilization. Bronze, used for these sculptures, is an alloy of copper, zinc, and tin, allowing for fine detailing and durability.

2. Earliest Bronze Sculptures

3. Buddhist and Jain Bronze Sculptures

During the Kushana Period (2nd Century CE), sites like Chausa (Bihar) produced Jain tirthankara bronzes with simplified yet muscular forms. Adinath is shown with long hairlocks, while other tirthankaras have short, curly hair.

In the Gupta and Post-Gupta Period (5th–7th Century CE), bronze sculptures from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar featured the Buddha in abhaya mudra, wearing a sanghati (robe) draped over both shoulders. Mathura style displayed drooping drapery curves, while Sarnath style showed a smooth, foldless robe. A key example is the Sultanganj Buddha, notable for its monumental size and classical refinement.

4. Jain Bronzes in Gujarat and Rajasthan

Akota (near Vadodara) is a key site for early Jain bronze sculptures, dated to the 5th–7th century CE. These bronzes were cast using the lost-wax method and often inlaid with silver and copper for fine detailing. Common themes include Tirthankaras and Yakshinis like Chakreshvari and Ambika, depicted either in single form, as a group of three, or in a group of 24 Tirthankaras. Other important sites for Jain bronzes include Chausa, Hansi (Haryana), Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

5. Bronze Art in Nalanda (Pala Period, 9th–12th Century)

Sculptors at Kurkihar (near Nalanda) played a key role in reviving the classical Gupta style during the later period. Prominent deities depicted include Avalokiteshvara, shown with four arms in the graceful tribhanga posture, and Tara, a Vajrayana goddess, holding a lotus stalk with one hand and the other in abhaya mudra, symbolizing protection and compassion.

6. Bronze Art in Western & Northern India

During the Vakataka period (at Phophnar, Maharashtra), sculpture was influenced by the Amaravati style, with the Buddha's robe clinging to the right side of the body, forming elegant, flowing lines.

In Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir (8th–10th century), a unique local style emerged. Notable icons from this region include Chaturanana Vishnu (four-headed Vishnu), Narasimha, and Durga as Mahishasuramardini, reflecting both regional creativity and pan-Indian religious themes.

7. South Indian Bronze Art

During the Pallava period (8th–9th century), early bronze sculptures began to emerge, such as Shiva seated in ardhaparyanka asana (one leg down), with his right hand in achamana mudra (about to drink poison). The Chola period (10th–12th century) marked the golden age of bronze art, especially under the patronage of Queen Sembiyan Maha Devi. Key centres included Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. Famous bronzes from this era include Nataraja (Dancing Shiva), Kalyanasundara Murti (wedding of Shiva and Parvati), Ardhanarisvara (half-Shiva, half-Parvati), and graceful Parvati figures in tribhanga posture. These Chola bronzes are globally admired and considered masterpieces of Indian art.

8. Vijayanagara Period (16th Century)

Bronze portrait statues were also crafted during later periods, capturing both realism and devotion. A well-known example is the statue of Krishnadevaraya with his queens Tirumalamba and Chinnadevi at Tirupati. These portraits feature realistic facial likenesses combined with idealised body forms. The figures are shown in namaskara mudra (prayer posture), reflecting their piety and royal presence.