Nayaka Bronze Sculptures

Nayaka Bronze Sculptures

Nayaka Bronze sculptures followed the conventional form and elaborate ornamentation. The figures of Bronze of that period were dressed conventionally.

Nayaka Bronze sculptures are characterized by expressionless faces, rounded sagging abdomens. The Vijayanagar period also witnessed the strain on quantity rather than quality. The earliest and the best example of this style were represented by the Kannappa Nayanar in the Siva temple at Kalahasti in the Chittoor district. The Nayaka bronze sculpture were tall and slender build, the hair was dressed peculiarly. The Kannappa Nayanar from Tiruvelangadu is an example of this type of Bronzes. The facial feature of these structures was very sharp but the elbows were angular and stylisation is evident from the circular mark of the knee caps.

One more example of the early phase of Vijayanagar Nayaka period was the beautiful Yoga narasimhar, which is 16.5 feet in height. It had very less stylised locks and the posture was splendid. Vaishnavite bronzes especially of the Alvars belonging to the early Nayaka period can be found yet. Few of these bronzes of the Vijayanagar period include the Kaliya Krishna from Nilappadi, Natesa from Peraiyur, Chandikeswara from Dharmapuram and the famous Parvati from Jambavanodi.

One can see the famous Vijayanagar Bronze sculpture Natesa from Belur in Salem district having origin in 1510 A.D. This unique sculpture has many important details like the 'prabha mandala' of oval shape has forty flames and each of which except for the topmost one show four tongues. These are formed in the clear fan-wise arrangement of the feathers on the crown and the anklets on both ankles.

But since the beginning of the 16th century the art had begun to decline in Vijayanagar. It is evident from the treatment of the faces of the Bronze sculptures and the modelling of the legs, the contraction at the knee-joint, the stretching out of the leg, etc. After 1600 AD, the conventionalised emblems became more popular and the dress and the ornaments were also worn conventionally in these bronze sculptures of Vijayanagar.

Another bronze of the Nayaka period of Vijayanagar is the Pradoshamurthi (Siva) from Tiruvaduthurai. This was adorned with necklaces of wire, stylised headgear and the origin of the bronze sculptures can be traced from the garments worn by them. Even though these bronzes were conventionally fashioned, the stylistic arch of the prabha with prominent head decoration at its ends add charisma to it

One more example of the Vijayanagar Nayaka period is the group of bronzes representing Lord Vishnu as Vaikutanatha with Sridevi and Bhudevi. In this structure all the deities were shown sitting on a coiled serpent. Vishnu is seated with his right leg placed on his left lap, lower arm hanging down and resting on the right knee while the corresponding left arm is kept on the seat as if in support of the body leaning backwards. This unique posture makes the figure look majestic. The bronzes of the goddess are similar to each other. The modelling of these bronze sculptures was heavy but smooth. A little imperfection can be noticed only in the arms of Vishnu. The ornaments worn by these bronze structures of Vijayanagar Nayaka period were uniformly stiff and heavy. The clothes looked apparently stiff. However the faces were full of splendour and the expression suggests divine composure.

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