About this artwork
One of India’s most popular gods, Ganesha is the son of the god Shiva and goddess Parvati. According to one story of his birth, his mother used flakes scraped from her own skin to create him to serve as a guardian. When Shiva returned and found a stranger barring his way, he flew into a rage and unwittingly decapitated his son. Upon realizing his error, he sent his attendants to fetch the head of the first creature they encountered. They returned with an elephant’s head that Shiva used to bring Ganesha back to life.
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Status
- On View, Gallery 141
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Department
- Arts of Asia
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Title
- Twenty-Armed Dancing God Ganesha, Remover of Obstacles
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Place
- Madhya Pradesh (Object made in)
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Date
- 901 CE–1000
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Medium
- Sandstone
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Dimensions
- 67.6 × 42 × 21 cm (26 5/8 × 16 1/2 × 8 1/4 in.)
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Credit Line
- James W. and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection. Gift of Marilynn Alsdorf
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Reference Number
- 2021.199
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/148369/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.