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Not currently on display at the V&A

Sculpture

Sculpture
18th century-19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A standing figure of the God Ganesh with four arms. The god stands straight with the weight slightly on the left leg. The feet rest on the seed-capsule of a padmasana which rises from a lotus pedestal (pitha), the latter cast in one piece with a square base with holes for attachment to a processional carrier.. The upper left hand holds the noose (pasa); the upper right, the goad (ankusa); the lower left, a wood apple (kapittha) or rice ball (modaka); the lower right his severed tusk (danta). He wears a coronet (karanda makuta), a patterned loincloth and sash, and a three-stranded sacred cord. A serpent encircles his belly, in addition to a waistband which is worn lower than usual. Behind the head is projecting lotus-disc.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSculpture (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Solid copper, cast by the <i>cire perdue</i> process
Brief description
Standing figure of Ganesh, copper, Tamil Nadu, 18th to 19th century.
Physical description
A standing figure of the God Ganesh with four arms. The god stands straight with the weight slightly on the left leg. The feet rest on the seed-capsule of a padmasana which rises from a lotus pedestal (pitha), the latter cast in one piece with a square base with holes for attachment to a processional carrier.. The upper left hand holds the noose (pasa); the upper right, the goad (ankusa); the lower left, a wood apple (kapittha) or rice ball (modaka); the lower right his severed tusk (danta). He wears a coronet (karanda makuta), a patterned loincloth and sash, and a three-stranded sacred cord. A serpent encircles his belly, in addition to a waistband which is worn lower than usual. Behind the head is projecting lotus-disc.
Dimensions
  • Height: 43cm
Object history
Gifted to the V& A in 1935 by E.L.Cappell Esq., who was judge of the Belgaum district in the extreme south of the Bombay Presidency, now part of Karnataka.
Production
South India
Subjects depicted
Collection
Accession number
IM.37-1935

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Record createdOctober 18, 2001
Record URL
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