A BLACK STONE RELIEF OF A CROUCHING GANA

NEPAL, CIRCA 8TH CENTURY

Details

A BLACK STONE RELIEF OF A CROUCHING GANA
NEPAL, CIRCA 8TH CENTURY
The rotund dwarf depicted squatting with one leg tucked outwards, his right hand resting on his thigh and his left resting on a ledge, the mustachioed face with full cheeks, bulging eyes and furrowed brow, surrounded by a band of craggy rocks
11 7/8 in. (30.2 cm.) high

Provenance

Private Collection, New York, acquired from Sotheby's New York, 5 December 1992, lot 18

Sale room notice

The correct estimate for this lot is $4,000-$6,000.

Brought to you by

Leiko Coyle

lcoyle@christies.com 212 636 2404

Lot Essay

The ganas are attendants to Shiva, ruled over by his son Ganesha, and live on holy Mount Kailash. They are often represented as corpulent dwarves, and in Nepalese stone sculpture, they are often shown squatting within the maze-like confines of a rocky mountain setting. Compare with two examples at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1986.259 and 1991.44).

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