Ganesha, seated on a double lotus throne / Artist Unknown, Indonesia, Java
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About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1957/2.56
- Title
- Ganesha, seated on a double lotus throne
- Artist Nationality
- Javanese
- Medium and Support
- andesite (volcanic stone)
- Object Creation Date
- 11th century
- Object Creation Place
- Asia (continent)
- Indonesia (nation)
- Jawa Timur (province)
- Creation Place 1
- Asia (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- Indonesia (nation)
- Creation Place 3
- Jawa Timur (province)
- Credit Line
- Museum Purchase
- Dimensions
- 70 cm x 35 cm x 29.5 cm (27 9/16 in. x 13 3/4 in. x 11 5/8 in.)
- Century
- 11th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Sculpture
- Primary Object Type
- figure
- Physical Description
- Ganesha is shown here seated on a double lotus throne, in a royal posture with the soles of his feet together. He has four arms, and holds two of his attributes in the rear pair: an ax and a rosary. His trunk curls down across his rotund belly to reach for a bowl of sweets that rests in his left forward arm. The cobra slung across his shoulder, now hard to make out because of the centuries of wear of the stone, indicates Ganesha's lineage as the son of the Shiva, in his aspect as the great ascetic. Almost 27 inches high, this sculpture of the Hindu god Ganesha is carved of andesite, a volcanic stone common to the island of Java in Indonesia. Andesite is a soft stone and erodes easily, which is why the carving is no longer crisp.
- Subject Matter
- Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu deity who removes obstacles.
- Pot-bellied Ganesha, with his elephant head and curved trunk, is perhaps the most endearing and gentle of the Hindu gods. The elder son of Shiva and Parvati, he is famed for removing obstacles; as such, he is worshipped at the start of any new venture. Scribes, for instance, will inscribe Ganesha’s name before writing anything else, as will students beginning an exam. His presence is also invoked at the onset of religious rituals. Sculptures of the plump god are typically located near the entrance to Hindu temples so that they are among the first encountered in the act of circumambulation. Also, when sweets are prepared for a festival day, the very first portion will be set aside in his name. This stone sculpture from eastern Java suggests that the treats do not go to waste: Ganesha’s trunk drops directly into a bowl of snacks that rests in his left hand.
- Secondary Keywords
- animals and creatures
- associated concepts
- descriptors
- inorganic material
- mammals
- materials
- materials by composition
- people
- people (agents)
- people and culture
- people by state or condition
- religions
- religions and religious concepts
- rock
- rock by form
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 727 x 1339
- File Size
- 111 KB
- Record
- 1957/2.56
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1957-sl-2.56/1957_2.56.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
Portfolios
- In public portfolios
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1957-SL-2.56:1957_2.56.JPG
Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Ganesha, seated on a double lotus throne; Artist Unknown, Indonesia, Java." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1957-sl-2.56/1957_2.56.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 13, 2024.