Volcanic stone (andesite)expand_more
Purchase through Art Quest 2003 and The William Hood Dunwoody Fundexpand_more 2003.198
Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu god, sits erect on a base shaped as a double lotus. Pot bellied and with his chubby feet pressed together, he eats sweetmeats from a bowl in his lower left hand. Considered to be the destroyer of obstacles, Ganesha is invoked at the launch of any enterprise, from weddings to the opening of a new business. He is believed to remove distractions and protect one from evil. Although this sculpture was created within a Hindu-Buddhist context on the island of Java, Ganesha’s universal charm abounds. Today, his image remains on the currency of Indonesia, home to the largest Muslim population in the world.
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know