Nine Celestial Bodies (Navagraha)

Description

Near temple entrances, the nine celestial bodies were depicted in an orderly row, often in figural form. From left to right they are: Sun with a tall crown and the female Dawn in front of him. The next five figures are nearly identical: Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. As a portent of doom, Saturn was wounded by a goddess to prevent him from moving swiftly, so he stands on one leg. The bodiless head is Rahu, the eclipse, who swallows the moon until it falls out his neck. The serpent-tailed figure is a comet.

Provenance

Doris [1922-2011] and Ed Wiener [1918-1991], New York, NY, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (?-1971); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1971-)

Nine Celestial Bodies (Navagraha)

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700s

Accession Number

1971.61

Medium

Sandstone

Dimensions

Overall: 44.4 x 158.6 x 18.2 cm (17 1/2 x 62 7/16 x 7 3/16 in.)

Classification

Sculpture

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Gift of Doris and Ed Wiener