Odisha (formerly Orissa), eastern India A black stone with a visible grain, traditionally described as granite. Important carved stele of Ganesha in black stone. - 65 cm
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Large carved Ganesha stele in black grain stone from Odisha, dating to around 1200, depicted standing with four arms and devotional attributes, with a kneeling devotee and the mouse, measuring 65 × 31 × 16 cm and weighing about 46 kg.
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Description from the seller
Important carved stele of **Ganesha** in black stone – Odisha (formerly Orissa), eastern India – late 12th to early 13th century, around 1200
Important and powerful representation of **Ganesha**, a major deity of the Hindu pantheon, carved in very high relief in a black, grainy stone traditionally described as granite.
The work is attributed to **Odisha, formerly Orissa, in eastern India** and can be stylistically dated to the **late 12th or early 13th century, around 1200**.
Ganesha is depicted standing, in a frontal, monumental attitude, on a substantial lotiform pedestal. His massive body, with a generously modeled belly, contrasts with the finesse of certain ornamental details and contributes to the strong sculptural presence of the whole.
The deity has **four arms**. He holds several of his traditional attributes, notably a broken tusk, a rosary, a staff, and a vessel containing sweets. His long curved trunk extends toward the latter, directly evoking one of the most characteristic aspects of Ganesha’s iconography, a great lover of modaka, the sweets traditionally offered to him.
The face is dominated by large ears that are widely flared and deeply lined. The forehead bears a clearly legible concentric circular motif. The head is crowned with an elaborate, highly sculpted headdress or crown that remains particularly expressive despite the old wear.
The god wears a short dhoti, numerous beaded jewelry, and a sacred cord crossing the chest. The treatment of the belly, arms, legs, and ornaments preserves remarkable legibility and lends the figure a particularly sculptural presence.
The composition is not limited to the figure of Ganesha. Beside him appears an **adoring kneeling** devotee, depicted in a gesture of devotion. At the base is also his traditional vehicle, the **rat or mouse (mushika)**, integrated into the iconographic program. These secondary elements reinforce the devotional character of the sculpture and contribute to the rich narrative of the whole.
The sculpture is deeply freed from its background, with some volumes almost treated in the round. The side views clearly show the substantial depth of the relief and how the main figure stands out from the rear block.
The **reverse is particularly interesting**: the stone has been largely hollowed out and left rough, revealing a massive structure as well as numerous inscriptions of sizing marks. This rear construction testifies to the architectural and devotional nature of the stele and is an important element for understanding its material conception.
The surface shows an ancient patina, with various areas of wear, some traces of deposits and residual coloration. Nevertheless, the ensemble retains a particularly complete iconographic reading and a very strong visual presence.
**Provenance**
Collection of **Jean-Marc Andral, Belgium**.
The sculpture was acquired from the **Galerie Carré des Antiquaires in Versailles, France, between 1995 and 2006**, according to a written provenance statement signed by Jean-Marc Andral on July 31, 2022.
A copy of this provenance statement accompanies the piece.
**Comparisons**
Several institutional sculptures help place this representation within the corpus of medieval Ganesha of eastern India.
An important Ganesha attributed to Odisha and dated to the 13th century is kept at the **British Museum**, London, under inventory number **1872,0701.59**. It shows several comparable features, notably the standing position, the lotiform pedestal, the large veined ears, and several similar iconographic attributes.
Another Ganesha from Odisha kept at the British Museum forms a particularly interesting match in iconography and arrangement of its attributes.
For a broader comparative frame, a granite sculpture of Ganesha from the Avery Brundage collection, now in the **Asian Art Museum in San Francisco**, inventory number **B63S45+**, also illustrates the monumentality and plastic power of this medieval representation.
These museum comparisons are mentioned for comparative and documentary purposes; they do not imply identity of workshop.
**Condition**
Very good condition considering age.
The sculpture is stable and retains excellent overall legibility. Signs of wear, losses and small chips, surface erosion traces, concretions and some ancient cracks. These alterations are coherent with the age and material history of the work and do not affect the overall understanding of the composition.
Detailed photographs are part of the description and allow precise appreciation of the conservation state.
**Dimensions:** 65 × 31 × 16 cm
**Weight:** about 46 kg
**Material:** black stone with visible grain, traditionally described as granite
**Origin:** Odisha (formerly Orissa), eastern India
**Dating:** late 12th–early 13th century, around 1200
By its size, weight, depth of sculpture, richness of iconography, and documented European provenance, this stele constitutes a particularly imposing and decorative representation of Ganesha in the medieval eastern Indian tradition.
Video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/a8j6kkd87sl5a487ucrdr/ADnrUpRUGfE-cPQdLYjHZ1s?rlkey=o5izjg3de43d1kt4adyitrgpo&dl=0
Seller's Story
MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION
For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector.
Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken.
Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion.
Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such.
Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation.
Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research.
The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit.
Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google TranslateImportant carved stele of **Ganesha** in black stone – Odisha (formerly Orissa), eastern India – late 12th to early 13th century, around 1200
Important and powerful representation of **Ganesha**, a major deity of the Hindu pantheon, carved in very high relief in a black, grainy stone traditionally described as granite.
The work is attributed to **Odisha, formerly Orissa, in eastern India** and can be stylistically dated to the **late 12th or early 13th century, around 1200**.
Ganesha is depicted standing, in a frontal, monumental attitude, on a substantial lotiform pedestal. His massive body, with a generously modeled belly, contrasts with the finesse of certain ornamental details and contributes to the strong sculptural presence of the whole.
The deity has **four arms**. He holds several of his traditional attributes, notably a broken tusk, a rosary, a staff, and a vessel containing sweets. His long curved trunk extends toward the latter, directly evoking one of the most characteristic aspects of Ganesha’s iconography, a great lover of modaka, the sweets traditionally offered to him.
The face is dominated by large ears that are widely flared and deeply lined. The forehead bears a clearly legible concentric circular motif. The head is crowned with an elaborate, highly sculpted headdress or crown that remains particularly expressive despite the old wear.
The god wears a short dhoti, numerous beaded jewelry, and a sacred cord crossing the chest. The treatment of the belly, arms, legs, and ornaments preserves remarkable legibility and lends the figure a particularly sculptural presence.
The composition is not limited to the figure of Ganesha. Beside him appears an **adoring kneeling** devotee, depicted in a gesture of devotion. At the base is also his traditional vehicle, the **rat or mouse (mushika)**, integrated into the iconographic program. These secondary elements reinforce the devotional character of the sculpture and contribute to the rich narrative of the whole.
The sculpture is deeply freed from its background, with some volumes almost treated in the round. The side views clearly show the substantial depth of the relief and how the main figure stands out from the rear block.
The **reverse is particularly interesting**: the stone has been largely hollowed out and left rough, revealing a massive structure as well as numerous inscriptions of sizing marks. This rear construction testifies to the architectural and devotional nature of the stele and is an important element for understanding its material conception.
The surface shows an ancient patina, with various areas of wear, some traces of deposits and residual coloration. Nevertheless, the ensemble retains a particularly complete iconographic reading and a very strong visual presence.
**Provenance**
Collection of **Jean-Marc Andral, Belgium**.
The sculpture was acquired from the **Galerie Carré des Antiquaires in Versailles, France, between 1995 and 2006**, according to a written provenance statement signed by Jean-Marc Andral on July 31, 2022.
A copy of this provenance statement accompanies the piece.
**Comparisons**
Several institutional sculptures help place this representation within the corpus of medieval Ganesha of eastern India.
An important Ganesha attributed to Odisha and dated to the 13th century is kept at the **British Museum**, London, under inventory number **1872,0701.59**. It shows several comparable features, notably the standing position, the lotiform pedestal, the large veined ears, and several similar iconographic attributes.
Another Ganesha from Odisha kept at the British Museum forms a particularly interesting match in iconography and arrangement of its attributes.
For a broader comparative frame, a granite sculpture of Ganesha from the Avery Brundage collection, now in the **Asian Art Museum in San Francisco**, inventory number **B63S45+**, also illustrates the monumentality and plastic power of this medieval representation.
These museum comparisons are mentioned for comparative and documentary purposes; they do not imply identity of workshop.
**Condition**
Very good condition considering age.
The sculpture is stable and retains excellent overall legibility. Signs of wear, losses and small chips, surface erosion traces, concretions and some ancient cracks. These alterations are coherent with the age and material history of the work and do not affect the overall understanding of the composition.
Detailed photographs are part of the description and allow precise appreciation of the conservation state.
**Dimensions:** 65 × 31 × 16 cm
**Weight:** about 46 kg
**Material:** black stone with visible grain, traditionally described as granite
**Origin:** Odisha (formerly Orissa), eastern India
**Dating:** late 12th–early 13th century, around 1200
By its size, weight, depth of sculpture, richness of iconography, and documented European provenance, this stele constitutes a particularly imposing and decorative representation of Ganesha in the medieval eastern Indian tradition.
Video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/a8j6kkd87sl5a487ucrdr/ADnrUpRUGfE-cPQdLYjHZ1s?rlkey=o5izjg3de43d1kt4adyitrgpo&dl=0
Seller's Story
MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION
For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector.
Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken.
Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion.
Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such.
Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation.
Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research.
The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit.
Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Culture
Odisha (formerly Orissa), eastern India
Century/timeframe
Fin du XIIe – début du XIIIe siècle, vers 1200
Name of object
Important carved stele of Ganesha in black stone.
Acquired from
Private collection
Year acquired
2022
Material
A black stone with a visible grain, traditionally described as granite.
Country acquired from
Belgium
Condition
Very good condition considering its age.
Previous owner acquired from
Gallery / Antique dealer
Height
65 cm
Previous owner - year acquired
1995
Width
31 cm
Previous owner - country acquired from
France
Depth
16 cm
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
Disclaimer
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
