Bust of Yakshi. Khusan, India, Mathura area, 1st-2nd century AD.

Bust of Yakshi. Khusan, India, Mathura area, 1st-2nd century AD.
Limestone.
Provenance: Roseberys London, 2015.
With export permit.
Measurements: 31 x 21 x 7.5 cm.

The bust we bid for here could be the representation of a yakshi or iaksi, a female nature spirit shared by Hindu, Buddhist and Jain mythologies. They are asuras, genies of nature who serve Kubera, the Hindu god of wealth, whose treasure they guard. Female counterpart of the iaksas, the iaksis represent fertility, and their origin dates back to ancient Neolithic rites. They are usually represented as beautiful nymphs dressed as princesses, with voluptuous forms, wide hips, narrow waist, broad shoulders and large breasts. In Indian art they symbolize the feminine ideal of beauty, and they are very popular images of great tradition, with sculptural representations dating back to the 3rd century BC.