Seated+Ganesha

Seated Ganesha
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 * ===Artwork Identification===
 * Title: Ganesha
 * Artist(s): unknown
 * Date: 14th - 15th century
 * Period: unknown
 * Country of Origin: India
 * Cultural/Ethnic Affiliation: Hinduism
 * Medium: Ivory
 * Dimensions: H. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm)
 * Museum/Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
 * Accession Number: 64.102
 * Current Location and Manner of Display: New York, New York
 * Provenance: Orissa ||


 * Introduction **

Seated Ganesha is currently housed, but not on display, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It dates back to the 14th - 15th century from the [|Orissa] region of India. The delicately rendered ivory illustrates fine detail throughout the modest sculpture. The most well known Hindu God in India is widely revered as the god of auspiciousness, remover of objects, and Lord of Beginnings and is best recognized by his elephant head and human body.


 * Descriptive Analysis **

This image of the Hindu god Ganesha is carved ivory and is about the size of a flower vase (a very small vase?). Ganesha sits upon a stylized circular lotus pedestal with one leg crossed in front of him and the other dangles to the side of the pedestal. His ankles are adorned with finely rendered beads and rings. His plump legs brings attention to his round belly, about to burst. His four arms are also decorated with subtle strings of jewelry. He holds an elephant goad, two entwined snakes, a pot of sweets, and his broken tusk. His elephant head shows a great deal of detail (give example). His ears are finely carved showing each vein(?). His ornate head dress placed atop his stylized curls with graceful beads that fall across his brow. The 14th - 15th century ivory is brown and cracked with age. What about the holes on the base?


 * Formal and Contextual Analysis **

Ganesha was the son of [|Siva] and [|Parvati]. There are many stories about how he got his elephant head (source; other stories). In one of the most popular versions...One day while Siva was away Parvati became lonely and wanted a child. She began forming a figure out of clay and realized how lifelike the chubby happy boy looked and she blew the breath of life onto the figure. The boy came to life and was very happy and playful. One day **(vary the sentence structure)** Parvati wanted to take a bath and asked Ganesha to stand guard and make sure no one would enter the room. With a spear in hand he stood firm at the door. When Siva came home he tried to enter the room where Parvati was bathing, but Ganesha would not let him pass. Siva was furious when the boy would not move so he took his axe and cut off his head. Parvati was horrified and explained to Siva that Ganesha was her son and demanded that he find his head. Siva's forceful axe sent the head flying away and he couldn't find it. An elephant came along and Siva cut off his head to restore Ganesha's life. (source)

Ganesha holds in each hand one of his attributes; his own missing tusk, an elephant goad, two entwined snakes, and a pot of sweets. His four arms tells us that he is the universal ruler establishing four categories of beings - those who can live only in waters, those who can live in both water and earth, those who can live only on earth, and those who can fly in the air. Further, it indicates that Ganesha institutes the four castes and four [|Vedas]. His elephant head symbolizes a [|Sanskrit Aum], the symbol of ultimate reality and non-duality, the ultimate aim of human life and existence. The state of non-duality is the state of realization and liberation in life. It is a state of identification of individual soul the Brahman, a release from the phenomenal world. **(vary the sentence structure)** His tusk is broken because he was requested by the composer and poet, [|Vyasa] of the [|Mahabharatha]. Ganesha broke off one of his tusks to take down the dictation of the great epic story. His large head represents his ability to comprehend truth and teachings by great teachers. He holds an[| elephant goad] which represents self-control and command over the senses and the redirecting of unacceptable impulses. Ganesha points out how to break down our own boundaries. The coiled snakes represent the spiritual energy that is lies at the base of our spine, which must be developed to the fullest through meditation, devotion and following the path of righteousness. The sweets that he holds represents the sweetness that one must discover of the //[|Atman].//

This diety is best known as the remover of obstacles, but is also known as the the Lord of Beginnings, Lord of Obstacles, patron of arts and science, and the [|deva] of intellects and wisdom.


 * (Cite sources of information)**


 * Personal Interpretation **

Based on his popularity it's not surprising that Ganesha is my favorite Hindu God. I love the detailing of this figure because I can only imagine how difficult it must be to carve ivory, but perhaps it was very fresh ivory. The discolor and cracks on the surface of the sculpture give the imagery more interesting quality because Ganesha was a yellow colored creature and with age, this medium has taken on that detail.

References

Why aren't any of these cited above? Did you actually consult these sources?
 * Martin, Osborn. //The Gods of India: A Brief Description of their History, Character and Worship//. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., 1995.
 * Mascetti, Manuela Dunn. //Ganesha: Remover of Obstacles.// Vancouver: Raincoast Books, 2000.
 * Krishnaswami, Uma. //Broken Tusk: Stories of the Hindu God Ganesha.// Little Rock, AR: August House Publishers, Inc., 2006.
 * Ganapathi, Jyoti. //Ganesha: Ancient Tales for Modern Times.// Vasanthnagar, Bangalore: Unisun Publications, 2005.
 * Kishore, B.R. //Lord Ganesha.// New Delhi: Diamond Pocket Books, 2004.
 * "Ganesha" 
 * "Hindu Wisdom"  Oct. 28, 2008.
 * "Seated Ganesha" //Works of Art: Collection Database.  2000-2010 Metropolitan Museum of Art.
 * Supporting Images **


 * [[image:ganesha_symbolism2.gif align="left" caption="Symbolism of Ganesha" link="http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Symbolism_in_Hinduism.htm"]] || [[image:calligraphy_ganesh.jpg align="center" caption="Form of Ganesha created by caligraphy of his various names" link="http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Symbolism_in_Hinduism.htm"]] ||


 * [[image:Screen_shot_2010-12-11_at_10.06.28_PM.png width="351" height="430" caption="Detail of Head" link="http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/asian_art/seated_ganesha/objectview.aspx?collID=6&OID=60005471"]] || [[image:Screen_shot_2010-12-11_at_10.07.04_PM.png width="372" height="427" caption="Detail of pedestal, legs and belly" link="http://pedestal"]] || [[image:Screen_shot_2010-12-11_at_10.04.48_PM.png width="331" height="410" caption="Detail of ear and elephant goad attribute" link="http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/asian_art/seated_ganesha/objectview.aspx?collID=6&OID=60005471"]] ||
 * [[image:Screen_shot_2010-12-11_at_10.04.19_PM.png width="337" height="416" caption="Detail of ear and snake attribute" link="http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/asian_art/seated_ganesha/objectview.aspx?collID=6&OID=60005471"]] || [[image:Screen_shot_2010-12-11_at_10.05.05_PM.png width="335" height="409" caption="Detail of sweets attribute" link="http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/asian_art/seated_ganesha/objectview.aspx?collID=6&OID=60005471"]] || [[image:Screen_shot_2010-12-11_at_10.05.23_PM.png width="350" height="427" caption="Detail of his missing tusk attribute" link="http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/asian_art/seated_ganesha/objectview.aspx?collID=6&OID=60005471"]] ||