45 - STANDING GANESHA BRONZE INDIA 19TH CENTURY

STANDING GANESHA BRONZE INDIA 19TH CENTURY Dimensions: Height 31 cm Wide 19 cm Depth 14 cm Weight: 1598 grams A substantial bronze image of Ganesha, its broad, upright silhouette dominated by the elephant head and generously rounded belly. The large ears are incised with curved lines, while three horizontal sacred marks cross the forehead above the long trunk, which turns to one side. The deity's hands are held close to the body; necklaces, armlets and a patterned girdle enliven the smooth expanses of the torso. Warm coppery highlights emerge from the darker surface, with pale greenish deposits gathered in the recesses. The figure stands on a low rectangular plinth, its compact proportions lending it a particularly direct presence. As the son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha is invoked at the beginning of undertakings and worshipped as the remover of obstacles and patron of learning. His elephant head unites strength with discernment, while his ample belly has long been read as a sign of abundance and his capacity to encompass the world. The horizontal forehead markings evoke a Shaiva devotional setting. The bronze presents these familiar attributes in an unusually emphatic, almost architectural form.