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Yaki Surasundari
Yaki Surasundari

Yaki Surasundari

Dateca. 11th century
Label TextRasa Rasa-literally meaning sap or extract of plants-is a fundamental concept in the arts of India which refers to aesthetic experiences. The theory was developed by Bharata, a sage-priest active in the early Christian era, and originally was used in reference to theater and dance, then eventually applied to painting, sculpture, and other arts. The viewer or audience is referred to as the rasika and plays an important role in the aesthetic experience. The energy that the viewer brings to the work of art individualizes each aesthetic encounter. In its original setting, a work of art may have had an entirely different effect upon the viewer than when seen in a museum. Each rasa category is associated with and triggers different emotions and bodily responses. This human response is of the utmost importance in the theory of rasa, for it elevates the viewer out of the mundane and transcends him or her to a heightened state of sensory experience.
Object number63.36
Credit LineMargaret E. Fuller Purchase Fund
Dimensions27 1/4 x 9 x 5 1/2 in. (69.22 x 22.86 x 13.97 cm) Overall h.: 39 in. Overall w.: 9 3/4 in.
MediumRed sandstone
Celestial Beauty (Surasundari)
Indian
10th-12th century
Object number: 44.54
head
Indian
500-599
Object number: SC93.27
head
Indian
500-599
Object number: SC93.28
Siva with attendants
Indian
11th-12th century
Object number: 69.15
Female Divinity
Indian
late 6th century
Object number: 69.23
Head of Vaishnavait deity
Indian
5th century
Object number: 64.22
Vishnu as the boar Varaha
Indian
ca. 11th century
Object number: 69.43
Krishna Playing Flute
Indian
14th - 18th century
Object number: 44.57
Brahma and Brahmani
Indian
ca. 11th century
Object number: 70.63
Head of a Hindu deity, either Vishnu or Surya
Indian
7th century
Object number: 67.107
Siva killing the elephant demon
Indian
ca. 10th century
Object number: 68.119
Male head - attendant or Bodhisattva?
Indian
2nd-3rd century
Object number: 64.114