Simian Mother and Child

This 13th-century andesite sculpture from Central Java shows a monkey mother tenderly holding her infant. Javanese sculptors demonstrated equal skill with sacred and secular subjects, and animal themes appeared frequently in temple contexts. Monkeys held particular significance in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions: in the Hindu Ramayana epic, the monkey god Hanuman plays a heroic role, and monkey imagery carried associations with loyalty, devotion, and cleverness.

The piece was carved from andesite, the volcanic rock that Java's geology made abundant and that served as the primary material for temple construction throughout the island. At about 10 by 9 inches, the sculpture's intimate scale captures the maternal bond with naturalistic observation. It likely served as architectural decoration on a temple complex. It's at the Art Institute of Chicago, a gift from Marilynn B. Alsdorf.