Metal Statues The art of casting statues on a large scale by the cire process
was practised by Guptan craftsmen with conspicuous success. Two
remarkable examples of Gupta metal sculpture are (1) A copper image of the
Buddha, about eighteen feet high at Nalanda in Bihar, and (2) Sultanganj
Buddha of seven and half feet.
UDAYAGIRI VARAHA
A sculpted panel at the Gupta-period (4th-6th century CE) caves of
Udayagiri, Madhya Pradesh. The caves are rock-cut Hindu shrines and this
panel shows Vishnu as the boar-headed incarnation Varaha. The god rises
from the cosmic waters, defeating the primeval serpent monster, and
rescuing the goddess Bhudevi (earth), who hangs from his tusk.