Chola: Sacred Bronzed of Southern India

Between the ninth and the thirteenth centuries, the Chola dynasty was the dominant cultural, artistic, religious, and political force in southern India. Though relatively unknown in the West, Chola bronzes are widely considered to be not only among the very finest works of Indian sculptural art, but the finest examples of bronze casting ever created. Among the exquisite examples here are the Hindu gods Shiva, Vishnu, and Ganesh, and a portrayal of Krishna dancing on the serpent Kaliya—one of only two in existence. This sumptuous book includes essays exploring how and why these objects came to be made, and the role they played within Hinduism and Chola culture.