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| Home > Materials Of Sculpture > Bronze Sculptures > History of Bronze Sculptures
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| | History of Bronze Sculptures
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Bronze is basically an alloy that is traditionally composed of tin. Bronze is of exceptional historical interest and still used widely for various applications. It was prepared before 3000 BC, although its use in artifacts become common with later period.
Greeks were familiar with this art from centuries. With them, in allover the world Bronze was widely used in sculptures. Some modern Bronzes contain no amount of tin at all, substituting other metals such as Aluminum, Manganese, and even Zinc.
 Though it is said that Bronzes were made in India in the period before the Pallavas, it was a time during their regime the Bronze sculptures came in the form of their own. The artistic works of this time are excellent examples of simplicity and elegance. The work is closely related with life of common man. However, the Cholas were the one who were mainly responsible for the great age of Bronze sculpture.
The art of creating Bronze sculptures is one of the most ancient and widespread art forms. For more than 4,000 years, Bronze has played an important role in the world of art. The use of Bronze for making statues, coins and other decorative articles dates back to approximately 3000 BC. Bronze working continued through the 10th and 11th centuries in many countries including India.
Actually, the story of Bronze made Statues in Asia begins in the Indus Valley Civilization (2400-B.C.E.) , as it is invented in some years back. The Indus Bronze statuette of a slender-limbed "dancing girl" is found in Mohenjo-daro, can be said as the evidence to this mention.
The Bronzes created images in Asia throughout the ages are mostly of religious significance - the statues were either created for purpose of worshiping in temples or for participating on religious rituals.
 From the 9th to the 13th centuries the art activities were carried out in enormous quantity in Chola country. New temples to show the architectural skills were built, old ones renovated with additional beauty and grand festivals were organized. This was the period when the bhakti movement spread in the south India. Therefore, in literature of this period also found a reference to these Bronze sculptures. And even the poets who made poetry on them were also deified with the images, which were made up of Bronzes only!
The 14th century was a dark period of insecurity for the Tamil lands and so Bronzes were not produced with such fervour as before. The Vijayanagara Empire brought security to the Southern regions again. A revival of sorts took place and Bronze casting picked up again but never could they challenge the dynamism of the age of the Cholas.
The stone sculptures and the their inner sanctum images makes the temple remained on a fixed place. But newly emerged religious concepts during the 10th century demanded that the deities should appear in a variety of public roles. As a consequence, large bronze images were created as these images could be carried outside the temple places.
Bronze Sculptures Of Chola Period
 Chola-period Bronzes are praised for the figures of sensuous depiction and for the detailed treatment used in their clothing and jewelry. During Chola-period, Bronzes made images were created with using the Lost wax technique. Although In India, Bronze casting is done from many centuries, especially in south India, huge size of images and large number of bronze sculptures were cast during the Chola period itself. This fact illustrates the importance of Bronze sculptures during this period.
The Chola period is considered as a remarkable period for its sculptures in Bronzes. From this period only, many fine figures made from Bronze, an alloy of copper are famous - it contains Shiva in various forms, such as Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi, and the Shiva saints.
Though as stated above, the iconographic conventions were established traditionally & all rules were conformed strictly to the sculptors, they worked with great freedom in real sense during the 11th and the 12th centuries, to achieve a classic quality. The best example of this is the form of Nataraja, the Divine Dancer, a form of Shiva as a Lord of the dance is a creation of this period.
Chola Bronze sculptures are admired for its artistic quality in the Indian sub-continent. The art works of these period are famous for their subtle modeling and clear outline marked on the form, as well as for maintaining a ideal balance of graceful realism and heroic classicism.
 During the reign of the Chola kings, they emphasized on building lavish temples in southern India and brought a new, more emotional kind of religious cult. Through representations of many deities like Lord Shiva, were seen as supreme & above all, daily rituals performed for him were strengthened an assurance of deity`s protection to all his worshippers. Shiva`s Nataraja sculpture will be prominently marked whenever Bronze sculpture is mentioned.
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