Ganesha Transcribing the Mahabharata
Ganesha sits in a templelike space holding a bag of sweets; he is accompanied by a rat, which is his vehicle (vahana). This depiction is unusual in that it emphasizes his intellect and the role he played in transcribing the great religious epic, the Mahabharata, as dictated by the sage Vyasa. Ganesha is shown in the white robes of a learned Brahman, writing with a pen, rather than with his broken tusk, as is more commonly seen. By the late nineteenth century, mass-produced lithographs—like this lavish, hand-colored example—became widely available and found their way into household shrines across India. Images of Ganesha were especially popular.
Artwork Details
- Title: Ganesha Transcribing the Mahabharata
- Date: 1878–1883
- Culture: India, West Bengal, Calcutta
- Medium: Lithograph, printed in black and hand-colored with watercolor and glaze
- Dimensions: Sheet: 16 × 12 3/4 in. (40.6 × 32.4 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2021
- Object Number: 2021.205
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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