Page 39 - Stone and Bronze, Indian art of the Chola Dynasty, Metropolitan Museum, NYC

prives the Amsterdam bronze of some of the majestic ers; a rope holds the hair together. Next to the skull, a
vertical lift or levitation that seems to propel and sus- serpent is tucked in behind the rope; on the other side
tain the Tanjavur icon. It has retained, however, an (left) we see the poisonous datura flowers and, above,
extraordinary buoyancy. the crescent moon. Three tiers of peacock feathers or
The lovely Nataraja in The Metropolitan Museum kondrai leaves rise above the skull, spread out like a fan
of Art (Figures 39-4I) dances in the same classic anan- in a triangular shape, as on the Amsterdam icon. Here
da-tandava mode. The god wears a double jeweled as well, the headdress is connected with the flaming
necklace; the sacred cord is a triple strand. On the back mandorla by a strut. The braided locks end in tightly
arms there are armlets; on all arms, elbow bands and rolled curls and are treated in much the same way as
wristlets. This corresponds with the Amsterdam bronze the garlands or flower ribbons, which alternate with
but for the wristlet on the front left arm, which is loose them and hold them apart. The trellis of tresses and
and not a part of the cast. There is a string with bell on flowers is less animated than at Amsterdam; once more
each shin. The bow of a short girdle band or sash is vis- it contains the goddess Ganga, in an attitude of wor-
ible on the left hip; another short sash falls over the left ship. The first section of locks on the god's right is solid
shoulder, as on the Amsterdam bronze. The ear orna- and treated as if it were part of a hair ornament.
ments are-apparently also on the Amsterdam icon- The Dwarf of Ignorance playing with a serpent;
is
a ring on the left and a makara on the lengthened right he seems to have acquiesced in his role, or does not feel
earlobe; the presence of two different ornaments prob- the weight of the divine dancer. The mandorla-not
ably is a hint at the god's androgynous nature. As usual, issuing from makara mouths-is circular. It carries
the base band of the headdress is decorated with flow- only nineteen flames, eighteen of them five-pronged