Sculpture
Figure
13th century (made)
13th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
A standing figure of Ganesha, the elephant headed son of Shiva, with four arms. He stands slightly flexed and with the left leg bent on a circular lotus-asana which rises from a moulded rectangular pitha. The upper left hand holds the noose (pasa); the upper right, an elephant goad (ankusa); the lower left, a wooden-apple (kapittha); the lower right, his severed tusk. The trunk is in the act pf taking the wooden-apple from the left hand. He wears a coronet (karanda mukuta), a loin cloth and sash. The siras-cakra (disc at the back of the head) is missing. He has human-like hair which hangs down behind in neat tresses. The nipples are heavily ringed. Other details include a sacred cord, wiastband, keyura armlets, padasaras on the feet. The base is provided with two prongs, one partly broken, whereon to fix a Torana (now missing).
Ganesha (Ganapati) is the personified Akashic element of his father, the god Shiva: he is also the god of Wisdom and Prudence, and the remover of Obstacles (Vighneshvara).
Ganesha (Ganapati) is the personified Akashic element of his father, the god Shiva: he is also the god of Wisdom and Prudence, and the remover of Obstacles (Vighneshvara).
Object details
Object type | |
Title | Sculpture (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Copper cast by the cire-erdue process |
Brief description | Figure of Ganesh, copper, Tamil Nadu, possibly Coimbatore, 13th century. |
Physical description | A standing figure of Ganesha, the elephant headed son of Shiva, with four arms. He stands slightly flexed and with the left leg bent on a circular lotus-asana which rises from a moulded rectangular pitha. The upper left hand holds the noose (pasa); the upper right, an elephant goad (ankusa); the lower left, a wooden-apple (kapittha); the lower right, his severed tusk. The trunk is in the act pf taking the wooden-apple from the left hand. He wears a coronet (karanda mukuta), a loin cloth and sash. The siras-cakra (disc at the back of the head) is missing. He has human-like hair which hangs down behind in neat tresses. The nipples are heavily ringed. Other details include a sacred cord, wiastband, keyura armlets, padasaras on the feet. The base is provided with two prongs, one partly broken, whereon to fix a Torana (now missing). Ganesha (Ganapati) is the personified Akashic element of his father, the god Shiva: he is also the god of Wisdom and Prudence, and the remover of Obstacles (Vighneshvara). |
Dimensions |
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Object history | Belonged to Herbert Bradley (C.S.I., Barr., (1878), I.C.S., Member of the Legislative Council of Madras) and was sold to the V &A by his widow Mr.s Lilian S.Bradley in 1924. |
Production | possibly Coimbatore, South India |
Subject depicted | |
Bibliographic reference | Published in D.R.Thapar. "Icons in Bronze, Bombay/London 1961. plate LVIII. |
Collection | |
Accession number | IM.112-1924 |
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Record created | September 20, 2001 |
Record URL |
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