Seated male figure,

5th century CE

The Gupta empire lasted from the early fourth to the early sixth century CE, and covered most of north and east India. The relative peace of the period brought about extraordinary developments: major advancements were made in mathematics, astronomy, and medicine, and the two most significant works of South Asian literature—the Mahabharata, a war epic, and the Ramayana, which details the exploits of the Hindu deity Rama—were canonized. The Gupta period also saw the creation of sophisticated religious art, including carved sculptures and temples created in service of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. This terra-cotta figure of a bare-chested, full-bellied man with rounded facial features, sitting cross-legged, is typical of
fifth-century Gupta art and very likely was made to adorn the exterior of a terra-cotta temple in the area of Hardoi, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.