Yaksha

India is home to some of the world's greatest sculpture traditions, which arose at different times in different parts of the country and were expressed in different media. The sculptures are primarily religious, and although each tradition has its own distinctive characteristics, they all share a common interest in capturing the vitality and gracefulness of their divine subjects.

This sculpture depicts a standing Hindu divinity or deva. The figure is identifiable as a deity by his elaborate hairstyle, jewelry, and by the nimbus behind his head. Unfortunately, because the figure is weathered and missing some key pieces, it is impossible to tell exactly which deity it represents. The figure belongs to a famous group of sculptures that were discovered near the village of Tanesara in Rajasthan. The sculptures were carved around the middle of the sixth century and are notable for their naturalistic but idealized beauty. The well-proportioned, gently flexed body and delicate facial features of this sculpture are especially outstanding. Other related sculptures from the same group can be found in the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai, the British Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The sculpture was donated to the AMAM in 1969 by Oberlin alumnus Paul F. Walter (OC 1957). Walter first began collecting art while he was still a student at Oberlin, and over the course of his life amassed important collections of Indian, Japanese, African, European, and American art.