Antique Indian Brass Lord Ganesha Pilgrimage Shrine Figure, Circa 18th–19th Century

Details

Description

Rich in symbolism and devotional significance, this antique brass figure depicts Lord Ganesha, one of Hinduism's most beloved deities and … Read more Rich in symbolism and devotional significance, this antique brass figure depicts Lord Ganesha, one of Hinduism's most beloved deities and the revered remover of obstacles, patron of wisdom, knowledge, and auspicious beginnings. Expertly cast using traditional techniques, Ganesha is portrayed seated upon a throne in a commanding yet serene posture, with his distinctive elephant head and multiple arms carrying symbolic attributes associated with divine protection and spiritual guidance.

The sculpture displays charming hand-finished details throughout, from the expressive facial features and elaborate headdress to the flowing treatment of the deity's limbs and ceremonial implements. A naturally developed golden-brown patina lends warmth and authenticity while emphasizing the object's age and devotional history.

Its compact proportions suggest the figure was created as a portable household shrine or pilgrimage icon, allowing worshippers to maintain a sacred presence during travel or within private domestic altars. Today, it serves equally well as an important devotional object, a collectible example of traditional Indian metalwork, or a distinctive decorative sculpture celebrating centuries of Hindu artistic tradition.

One feature that makes this figure especially interesting is the small mouse seated before Ganesha. This is Mushika (or Mooshika), Ganesha's sacred vahana (vehicle), a detail found on higher-quality devotional sculptures rather than purely decorative castings. The raised implement appears to be an axe (parashu), one of Ganesha's traditional attributes symbolizing the cutting away of attachments and obstacles. Although described as a "pilgrimage figure," this form could also have served as a domestic shrine icon (puja murti), making it appealing to collectors of Indian devotional bronzes, Asian antiquities, and religious art.

Whether displayed in a meditation room, curated collection, or sophisticated global interior, this figure offers both spiritual resonance and timeless sculptural appeal. See less