Head of a ram / Artist Unknown, India, Bengal
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About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1980/2.283
- Title
- Head of a ram
- Artist Nationality
- Indian
- Medium and Support
- terracotta
- Object Creation Date
- 1st century
- Object Creation Place
- Asia (continent)
- India (nation)
- West Bengal (state)
- Creation Place 1
- Asia (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- India (nation)
- Creation Place 3
- West Bengal (state)
- Style/Group/Movement
- terracotta
- Dimensions
- 7.8 cm x 8.3 cm x 10.4 cm (3 1/16 in. x 3 1/4 in. x 4 1/8 in.)
- Century
- 1st century
- Primary Object Classification
- Sculpture
- Physical Description
- This terracotta is modeled in the shape of a ram’s head. The snout is softly modeled by hand and his two horns form coils to either side of his head. A decorative band with punch-marked floral decoration on it divides the snout from the area of the head with the spiral horns. The horns are decorated with lines and encircle a donut shaped element in the center. A floral motif is between the two above the decorative band and other punch-marked floral forms decorate his snout at the top and at each cheek. His eyes are incised in a diamond pattern with a circular center and his nostrils are simple indentations.
- Subject Matter
- Throughout the history of Indian art, animal figures were often depicted with a sense of naturalism, as seen here. With very simple means the artist has given us a convincing figure of a ram’s head. He has modeled the clay by hand, using a sharp tool to punch decorations, much as one would stamp designs into leather.
- Secondary Keywords
- animals
- animals and creatures
- biological components
- components
- components and systems
- components by specific context
- descriptors
- design elements
- figure- and animal-derived motifs
- mammals
- motifs
- sheep
- the human body
- the natural world
- upper body
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 905 x 709
- File Size
- 59 KB
- Record
- 1980/2.283
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1980-sl-2.283/1980_2.283.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
Portfolios
- In public portfolios
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1980-SL-2.283:1980_2.283.JPG
Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Head of a ram; Artist Unknown, India, Bengal." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1980-sl-2.283/1980_2.283.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 23, 2024.
