Seated Four-Armed Ganesha
Unknown Artist
ca. 1775
Medium
Ink and opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
5 15/16 x 4 1/2 in. (15.1 x 11.4 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture
India, Rajasthan, Bundi
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Daniel J. Slott, 1977
Accession Number
1977.440.15
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Seated Four-Arm Ganesha*, a 18th-century masterpiece from the Bundi school of Rajasthan, India, created around 1775. This intimate painting, measuring just under 6 by 4.5 inches, captures the beloved Hindu deity Ganesha—elephant-headed remover of obstacles—in a serene seated pose with four arms, likely holding symbolic attributes like his broken tusk or sweet modaka. Accompanying him is his traditional vehicle, the humble rat (Mushika), emphasizing themes of wisdom, prosperity, and humility. Produced during a vibrant era of Rajput patronage, when regional courts flourished amid Mug...