Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 10. (Budapest, 1967)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM - MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Horváth, Vera: Maurya Mother Goddess Figurines

VERA HORVÁTH MAURYA MOTHER GODDESS FIGURINES In the Indian collection of Ferenc Hopp Museum of Eastern Asiatic Arts, among the gifts of Mr. Imre Schwaiger, an art dealer and collector, once living in Delhi, -six pieces of terracotta figurines are to be found and they serve as a basis for this study. The Museum acquired the figurines in 1936 and 1939. The site of the objects in unknown. No further details are available about their provenance, therefore, based on the characteristic features of the figurines, efforts were made to draw conclusions about the possible time and location of their make. Figurine 1. (Fig. I.): Head of a woman, hair-do separated on the middle. The nose is straight continuation of the forehead, the eyes are slightly oval, with small round pupils. The circular head-dress is ornamented with beads, the upper part of the head-dress is missing as well as the ear-rings on both side of the face. The face and the slightly wide lips are soft-shaped. Height: 5,7 cm. Figurine 2. (Fig. 2.) : Head of a woman, similar to the previous one. Slightly wide cheek-bones, lips are slightly open. The neck is considerably damaged, the larger part of the head-dress is left intact. Height: 4,9 cm. Figurine 3. (Fig. 3.): Head of a woman, its slightly wide cheek-bones and the shape of the lips show rather close relations with Figurine 2. In the right ear, a heavy ear-ring can be seen, the left side of the face is heavily damaged, the left earring is missing, on the neck, parts of a necklace can be found. Height : 4,6 cm. Figurine 4. (Fig. 4.): Fragment of the figure of a woman, Features and hair-do are similar to the previous one. On the right side, in addition to the heavy ear-ring, a head-dress decorated by a rosette can be found as well; the left side is broken. The upper part of the body is seemingly naked, wearing a large, oval-beaded necklace. The long, strong neck also is decorated by incised circles. Height: 12 cm. Figurine 5. (Fig. 5.): Figur*

1 of a woman, the richly decorated head-dress renders it similar to the previous one. Gentle face, smiling, wide lips. In the left ear, a circular ear-ring can be found, the head-dress is ornamented with a rosette and some other elements. On the right side only the ear-ring was left.