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Seated Ganesha

17th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 251
This image of Ganesha envisions the Hindu god as a plump child with an elaborate hairdo and an ornamented dhoti (waist cloth). As the son of Shiva and Parvati, he controls obstacles—their invention and their removal. He grasps an elephant goad and snakes in his two upraised hands. His lower hands hold his broken tusk and a pot of sweets. Intimate in scale and intricately detailed, this sculpture served as a cherished object of personal devotion.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Seated Ganesha
  • Date: 17th century
  • Culture: India, Odisha
  • Medium: Ivory
  • Dimensions: H. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Klejman, 1964
  • Object Number: 64.102
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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7994. Seated Ganesha

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