NEW ORLEANS, USA (artdaily.org): From August 5 through October 23, 2011, the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is presenting an exhibition called The Elegant Image: Hindu, Buddhist and Jain Bronzes from the Indian Subcontinent in the Siddharth K. Bhansali Collection.
The exhibition, curated by eminent Indian art historian Dr. Pratapaditya Pal, showcases 100 bronze sculptures of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain deities, underscoring the richness of the three major religions of ancient India. Many of the bronzes are rare and noteworthy, such as the earliest known metal icon of Lord Ganesha from Tamil Nadu and the earliest examples of Goddess Ambika from Eastern India. This exhibition and the accompanying book are the first survey of most major schools of Indian bronzes for almost half a century.
Dr. Bhansali, a native of Mumbai, has been collecting Indian bronzes for about 35 years. Few private or public collections anywhere can claim so many metal figures of this period and with such variety.
“Dr. Bhansali has not only contributed the majority of the works of art for this exhibition, but has also been a tireless advocate for the growth of NOMA’s Indian collection,” said museum director Susan Taylor. “The Elegant Image must be seen first hand to truly appreciate the power of these unique bronzes.”