India, Rajasthan, ca. 19th century CE or earlier. A well-carved pink sandstone figure of a yakshi assuming a sensual, sinuous tribhanga pose, wearing a short seemingly transparent dhoti, beaded necklaces and bracelets, elaborate armbands, large ear ornaments, and cascading ribbons flowing from her arms to her ankles, her head tilted slightly to the side as she leans against a tree to bring about the bearing of fruit or flowers, the entire figure posed atop a lotus pedestal. Size: 5.25" W x 11.25" H (13.3 cm x 28.6 cm)

A yakshi is a female earth spirit and symbol of fertility for Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain faiths. This symbolism goes back to a period in Indian history when trees were regarded as objects of worship, oftentimes associated with old fertility festivals, when courting youths and maidens gathered the blossoms of the sal tree. In Indian mythology, the yakshi is a fertility symbol. She represents not only the bride of the tree, but also the sap of the tree, its life-fluid, thereby the life-fluid of all creation.

Characteristically portrayed as a voluptuous female figure, yakshi has the power to prompt a tree to bear fruit simply by leaning against it and touching it with her foot. As she enacts this feat, she displays a sultry tribhanga pose which suggests a sensuous energy and maternal nature. As opposed to the term contraposto, tribhanga literally means three parts break, in which the sculptor created three bends in the body; at the neck, waist and knee. The result is that the body is oppositely curved at waist and neck which gives it a gentle "S" shape. A spectacular rendering of a yakshi with ample curves, wide hips, and a generally well-endowed female body that symbolizes the fertility of the earth.



Provenance: Ex English Private Collector Peter Sloane

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#119379

Overall very good condition. Some repair to face.