The God Ganesha
| Artist | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Culture | Indian |
| Title | The God Ganesha |
| Date | Late 12th–early 13th century |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Dimensions | Overall: 16 x 9 1/2 x 6 3/8 in. (40.6 x 24.1 x 16.2 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 75.100 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
Pot-bellied elephant-headed deity standing on a double lotus supported on plinth. The figure holds a goad, noose, sweetmeat and tusk in his four hands.
Ganesha is, perhaps, the most beloved and widely worshipped of the thousands of Hindu deities. His name, which means “lord of beginnings and remover of obstacles,” is associated with writing and science, but especially as the protector of new enterprises. With his modified elephant head—his eyes adjusted forward and framed by eyebrows, giving him a more human appearance—and his childlike body, Ganesha is both comical and appealing. The artist, most likely an artisan employed in an imperial Chola workshop, used the subtle shift of weight to one foot and the delicate modeling of the chubby fingers to suggest a human character within the deity.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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"The God Ganesha | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=75.100