• editor.aipublications@gmail.com
  • Track Your Paper
  • Contact Us
  • ISSN: 2582-9823

International Journal Of Language, Literature And Culture(IJLLC)

Roles and Representation of Women in Gupta Sculpture

Ritika Deshwal , Dr. Neelam Rani


International Journal of Language, Literature and Culture (IJLLC), Vol-5,Issue-6, November - December 2025, Pages 56-62, 10.22161/ijllc.5.6.8

Download | Downloads : | Total View : 604

Article Info: Received: 25 Nov 2025, Received in revised form: 22 Dec 2025, Accepted: 26 Dec 2025, Available online: 31 Dec 2025

Cite this Article: APA | ACM | Chicago | Harvard | IEEE | MLA | Vancouver | Bibtex

Share

The Gupta period (circa 320-550 CE) is often regarded as the Golden Age of India, characterized by remarkable advancements in art, literature, and culture. Among the significant contributions of this era is its exquisite sculpture, particularly in the representation of women. This research paper explores the roles and representation of women in Gupta sculpture, examining their symbolic, religious, and cultural significance. By analyzing various examples from temples, steles, and other artifacts, this study seeks to understand the depiction of femininity, the ideals of beauty, and the sociocultural roles attributed to women during the Gupta period.

Gupta Sculpture, Women Representation, Indian Art, Gupta Empire, Feminine Ideals, Religious Iconography, Sociocultural Roles, Indian Sculpture.

[1] Agarwal, Vasudeva. Gupta Art: A History of Indian Sculpture. Delhi: Bharatiya Kala Prakashan, 2000.
[2] Huntington, Susan L. The Art of Ancient India: Buddhist, Hindu, Jain. New York: Weatherhill, 1985.
[3] Dehejia, Vidya. The Body Adorned: Dissolving Boundaries Between Sacred and Profane in India's Art. New York: Columbia University Press, 2009.
[4] Harle, James C. The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1994.
[5] Smith, Vincent A. History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1911.
[6] Gupta, R. S. The Gupta Empire and Its Influence on Indian Art. Varanasi: Bharat Kala Bhavan, 1972.
[7] Williams, Joanna. The Art of Gupta India: Empire and Province. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1982.
[8] Harle, J.C. The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent. Yale University Press, 1994.
[9] Saraswati, S.K. A Survey of Indian Sculpture. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1957.
[10] Huntington, Susan L. The "Påla-Sena" Schools of Sculpture. Brill Archive, 1984.
[11] Huntington, Susan L. The Art of Ancient India: Buddhist, Hindu, Jain. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1985.
[12] Harle, J.C. The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent. Yale University Press, 1994.
[13] Dehejia, Vidya. Early Buddhist Rock Temples: A Chronology. Cornell University Press, 1972.
[14] Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. The Iconography of Indian Art and Sculpture. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1972.
[15] Agrawala, Vasudeva S. Gupta Art: A Study of Indian Sculpture and Painting. Prithvi Prakashan, 1965.
[16] Harle, J.C. The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent. Yale University Press, 1994.
[17] Rosenfield, John M. The Dynastic Arts of the Kushans. University of California Press, 1967.
[18] Mitter, Partha. Indian Art. Oxford University Press, 2001.
[19] Dehejia, Vidya. Discourse in Early Buddhist Art: Visual Narratives of India. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1997.
[20] Gupta, Shobha. Women in Ancient India. Inter-India Publications, 1988.
[21] Goyal, Shankar. The Iconography of Gupta Sculpture. Kusumanjali Prakashan, 2000.
[22] Mitra, Debala. Gupta Art: Imperial Art of India. Prithvi Prakashan, 1980.
[23] Shah, U.P. Jain Iconography. Oriental Institute, 1987.
[24] Harle, J.C. (1994). The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent. Yale University Press.
[25] Srinivasan, D.M. (1997). Many Heads, Arms, and Eyes: Origin, Meaning, and Form of Multiplicity in Indian Art. Brill.
[26] Michell, G. (1988). The Penguin Guide to the Monuments of India, Volume 1: Buddhist, Jain, Hindu. Penguin Books.
[27] Sharma, R.S. Aspects of Political Ideas and Institutions in Ancient India. Motilal Banarsidass, 1991.
[28] Harle, J.C. The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent. Yale University Press, 1994.
[29] Thapar, Romila. Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300. University of California Press, 2003.
[30] Sculpture of the Gupta Period by S. C. S. Sharma.
[31] The Divine Feminine in Indian Art and Literature by V. K. Sharma.
[32] Iconography of Hindu Deities by R. S. Sinha,
[33] Kumar, R. (2007). Gupta Art and Sculpture. Delhi: Prakash Books.
[34] Singh, N. (2011). Gender and Power in Gupta Sculpture. Indian Historical Review, 38(1), 45-60.
[35] Chakravarty, P. (2015). The Golden Age of Gupta Art: A Sociopolitical Perspective. Journal of South Asian Studies, 42(2), 123-137.
[36] Sharma, S. (2018). Symbolism and Women in Gupta Art: An Analytical Study. Art and Culture Review, 27(3), 78-94.