Head of a Yaksha
-150–-50
- Medium
- mottled red sandstone
- Dimensions
- Overall: 48.2 x 40 x 35.6 cm (19 x 15 3/4 x 14 in.)
- Genre
- Sculpture
- Museum
- Cleveland Museum of Art
Tags
Northern India, Uttar Pradesh, Mathura, Shunga period (185–78 BCE)
About
Colossal statues of yakshas, male divinities who personify the productive forces of nature, were especially popular in the northern Indian region around the ancient city of Mathura. They were installed in shrines in parks and gardens, often associated with extraordinary trees. The red sandstone is from a nearby quarry, called Sikri.