Indian Pilgrimage Figural Altar Group Depicting Ganesh

Ganesh sits in a tiny arched shrine, one leg folded, trunk swung to the side.

This pilgrimage figural altar group depicting Ganesh comes from Maharashtra, India, and dates to the 16th – 17th century or earlier. It is brass. Ganesh, the elephant-headed remover of obstacles, is honored at the beginning of undertakings, and small portable images of him were generally carried by pilgrims or kept in household shrines. Here he sits on a low throne, his rounded belly and curved trunk crisply modeled. Smaller attendant figures stand at either side, and a pointed arch with a bud finial frames the group. It is 2.5 inches high, 2 wide and 1.5 deep.

A great deal of good intention, cast in a very small space.