# Mother Goddess

- Date: c. 600
- Medium: schist
- Classification: Sculpture
- Dimensions: Overall: 79.4 x 23.2 cm (31 1/4 x 9 1/8 in.)
- Culture: Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Udaipur District
- Credit line: Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
- Museum: [Cleveland Museum of Art](https://clevelandart.org/art/1970.12)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1970.12/1970.12_web.jpg
- Who can see it: Teens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

Sets of mother goddesses were installed in shrines near the entrance to Hindu temples. From one of the most naturalistic and charming sets, this mother attentively grasps the wrist of her toddler to gently guide him, while smiling lovingly and patiently at him. The simplicity of garments and ornament is characteristic of sculpture of the sixth century, and the naturalistic qualities of this work from northwestern India suggest connections with the Greco-Roman styles of Gandhara, in present-day Pakistan.