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HaḍḍaDB

The Haḍḍa School of Art: Iconographic Markers

The brahman

31 works · + 23 debated

The ascetic of the records: the topknot “characteristic of brahmans”, beard and moustache, wrinkled forehead, knitted brows. An aged, tormented face that several descriptions compare to classical works. Beside these old men, the database keeps 23 records of idealised young figures deliberately left between “Brahma” and “young brahman”.

The distinguishing marks

Each mark points to real records that describe it.

  • Ascetic’s topknot “characteristic of brahmans”

    See in the database: HADB 236, HADB 237

  • Beard and moustache, aged and wrinkled face

    See in the database: HADB 237

  • Hellenised features, grave or tormented air

    See in the database: HADB 236

Three works to learn to look

The facial lines of this Brahman are strongly Hellenized and recall certain classical works. The wrinkled forehead, the frowning eyebrows and the sunken eyes give him a tormented look. He wears the characteristic bun of the Brahmans. The mass of hair gathered on the top of the head is not visible, but a simple and completely stylized bun. The waves of the hair are represented in hollows like those of the mustache and the beard.

The head of this Brahman is very eroded. He wears a bun, mustache and beard whose undulations are summarily depicted in hollows. Old and wrinkled, the expression of his eyes and his drooping mouth give him a serious look.

Not to be confused with

All identified works

Debated identifications

The database itself leaves these records open: their titles hesitate between several figures. They are part of the lesson: identifying means weighing clues.

This figure in the tours

Guided tours of the database include several works of this figure.

In the identification key

The observation paths that lead to this figure in the questionnaire. Each path can be replayed.

  1. Idealised and sereneTopknot on the crown, wave-patterned hair, no jewelleryLong hair swept up into a fan-shaped topknot
  2. Realistic, like a portraitBeard and ascetic’s topknot, aged and wrinkled face