This delicately crafted sculpture depicts the moon god, Chandra, riding in his celestial chariot, which is pulled by seven geese. His charioteer appears below him, and two female archers stand at the sides of the vehicle, shooting shafts of light to warn off the demons of darkness. A relatively minor deity in India, Chandra seems to have enjoyed a large cult following in Nepal, where his iconography was adapted from that of the Hindu sun god, Surya.
Details
- Title : The Moon God, Chandra
- Year : 18th century
- Classification : Sculpture
- Medium : Gilded Copper Alloy, Gemstones
- Dimension : Overall: 5 1/4 × 4 1/2 × 2 1/2 in. (13.34 × 11.43 × 6.35 cm)
- Accession No : Object Number: 68.8.33
- Country/ Geo-location : NEPAL
- Collection : Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
- Credit Line : Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, Gift of Paul Mellon
- Status : Location: G327 - South Asian Galleries
- Published References : Gairola, C. Krishna. "Nepalese Bronzes in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts." Oriental Art XXIV, no. 3, 1978, 317-325.