India, Chola period, 12th century / Ganesha / 12th centuryIndia, Chola period, 12th century
Ganesha
12th century

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Creator Nationality: Asian; Indian Sub-Continent; Indian
Creator Dates/Places: India
Creator Active Place: India
Creator Name-CRT: India, Chola period, 12th century
Title: Ganesha
Title Type: Primary
View: Full View
Creation Start Date: 1100
Creation End Date: 1199
Creation Date: 12th century
Object Type: Sculpture
Materials and Techniques: bronze
Dimensions: Overall: 50.2cm
AMICA Contributor: The Cleveland Museum of Art
Owner Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
ID Number: 1970.62
Credit Line: Gift of Katharine Holden Thayer
Rights: http://www.clemusart.com/museum/disclaim2.html
Context: This bronze of the elephant-headed god Ganesha has the same type of jade-green patina as in the bronze of Shiva's trident (see 1969.117) and also represents the mature and very accomplished Chola style. One of the most auspicious and revered in the Hindu pantheon, this delightful deity represents the god of wealth and abundance. He removes obstacles and offers all kinds of protection to his worshipers; consequently his name is invoked on any given occasion, be it birth, wedding, housewarming, or commencement of any project. His rotund body and the dish of sweets he holds in his lower left arm symbolize his prosperity. Other hands hold a pasa (noose), a parasu (axe), and his broken tusk. While many myths describe how he became the composite of an elephant and a man, the most common version relates the story of how he was decapitated by his father, Shiva, in a rage of fury and restored to life by the intervention of his mother, Parvati. Shiva agreed to revive him with the head of the first creature encountered, which happened to be an elephant. With such colorful mythological fables behind this iconographical depiction, the concept of a god in animal form is utterly Hindu and not easy for Westerners to comprehend. If one bears in mind, however, that according to Eastern religions reincarnation can occur in either human or animal form and that the image is a purely symbolic representation of a deity--the concept of worshiping the god in any given form becomes more understandable. Ganesha's vehicle is a rator mouse, not present in this image. The idea of opposites such as an elephant (one of the largest living creatures) coexisting peacefully with a rat (one of the smallest animals), the profound spiritual knowledge for which Ganesha is known, his fondnessfor food, and his connoisseurship as a dancer and awkward roundness may teach even Westerners a lesson: extremes can coexist in this world in perfect harmony. S.C.
AMICA ID: CMA_.1970.62
AMICA Library Year: 1998
Media Metadata Rights: Copyright, The Cleveland Museum of Art

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