Human Figurines of India have been known to hail from as far back as the Indus valley civilization. Sculpting refers to the art of shaping figures out of or into materials, an index of which would include media like clay, granite, marble, metal and many varieties of stone. One can even find wood sculptures or figurative bronze sculptures for sale. Therefore, by definition, a sculpture is the means by which an artist expresses himself or herself aesthetically. Such sculptures may involve using a variety of materials which would be worked on by different methods.
Metal sculptures became popular throughout India during the post-Gupta period. In South India, they mastered the art of making huge exquisite sculptures with great stress on designs and details. The art achieved its zenith in the Chola period. Bronze statues in timeless and classic poses and styles from the Chola dynasty (900 AD). These statues have been made by Swamimalai artisans of Tamilnadu, in southern India, using the lost wax technique from ancient times. The utsava murthis (idols) of temples, which are taken out in procession during temple festivals were made of bronze and panchaloha. For the collector, an exclusive assortment of different styles of sculptures and figurines in bronze.
With old world attention to detail, every piece has one of a kind workmanship. A rare combination of beauty and power has culminated in a sophisticated and unique sensitivity, further emphasized by variety and range. The art of sculpting in Tamilnadu is strictly governed by the canons of iconography and iconometry. India,sculptors and artisans have inherited their knowledge and skills from their ancestors. The figure is prepared according to the cire perdue or lost wax method, known as the madhuchchistavidhna.