Chandragupta Maurya of India

"This man was of mean origin, but was stimulated to aspire to regal power by supernatural encouragement... Some time after, as [Chandragupta] was going to war with the generals of Alexander, a wild elephant of great bulk presented itself before him of its own accord, and, as if tamed down to gentleness, took him on its back, and became his guide in the war, and conspicuous in fields of battle."
- Marcus Junianus Justinus on legends surrounding Chandragupta
(Justin, Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus, 15.4)
--------------------------------------------
For this portrait, I mixed elements from three modern sculptures of the famous Mauryan king of India. In doing so, I enjoyed re-imagining the Indian Parliament's statue of Chandragupta as a shepherd-boy, now older and triumphant— his dream fulfilled—but lost in thought, as ever.
--------------------------------------------
Happy New Year!