Seated Ganesha

A seated bronze figure of Ganesha with an elephant head, shown frontally with a crown-like headdress and legs folded in meditation posture. One hand holds an object at the chest while the other is raised, and the body rests on a scrolled, cloud-like pedestal. The dark green patina and smooth modeling suggest a Southeast Asian casting in a Sukhothai or Lan Na manner.

Look closer: The small mouse, Ganesha's vahana, is not visible; instead note the folded legs and a fine ornamental band across the crown.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 15th century

Medium

Bronze

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

2978 × 3722 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Steven Kossak, The Kronos Collections, in honor of Helen Cook, 1983