Ganesha, Orissa, India

Statuette of Ganesh represented with four arms, copper alloy, India, Orissa (Odisha), 17th century. Dimensions: H 8.5 cm x W 5 cm x D 4 cm Weight 354 grams Provenance: Estate of the collector and Asian art dealer Claude de Marteau Sold with certificate of provenance. Ganesha's four arms represent his ability to act simultaneously in all directions. His trunk is turned to his left (Vamamukhi Ganesha), associated with gentleness and benevolence, with a cult oriented towards success in daily life. He holds 4 attributes: an elephant goad (ankusha), used to direct wisdom and control the mind. A spherical object, a modaka (an Indian sweet), which symbolizes the reward of spiritual efforts and the sweetness of wisdom. A noose or lasso (pasha) that allows him to capture and tame human desires to guide his followers on the right path In his right hand, the remains of his broken tusk: According to the most widespread legend, the sage Vyasa was to dictate the epic Mahabharata, and he needed a quick and intelligent scribe. Ganesha agreed, but on one condition: Vyasa was never to stop speaking. In the middle of the story, the pen that Ganesha was using broke. In order not to interrupt the writing, he broke one of his tusks and used it as a stylus to complete the transcription. This act symbolizes self-sacrifice for knowledge and wisdom. In his early appearances in India, Ganesh was associated with fertility. Later, he was widely venerated as the Lord of Beginnings and Destroyer of Obstacles, he is also the patron of the arts and sciences, and the deity of intellect and wisdom. View this Ganesh statuette, Orissa, India in full screen mode on Vintage Addict