Exhibition

Ganesha: Lord of New Beginnings

Jusqu'au 15 juin 2025
Free with Museum admission

Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, is a Brahmanical (Hindu) diety known to clear a path to the gods and remove obstacles in everyday life. He is loved by his devotees (bhakti) for his many traits, including his insatiable appetite for sweet cakes and his role as a dispenser of magic, surprise, and laughter. However, Ganesha is also the lord of ganas (nature deities) and can take on a fearsome aspect in this guise.

The seventh- to twenty-first-century works in this exhibition trace his depiction across the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia. Featuring 24 works across sculptures, paintings, musical instruments, ritual implements, and photography, the exhibition emphasizes the vitality and exuberance of Ganesha as the bringer of new beginnings.

Rotation 1: November 19, 2022–June 11, 2023
Rotation 2: June 17, 2023–June 11, 2024
Rotation 3: June 13, 2024–June 15, 2025

The exhibition is made possible by the Florence and Herbert Irving Fund for Asian Art Exhibitions.

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Dancing Ganesha, Red sandstone, India, Madhya Pradesh
India, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 10th century
Ganesha, Copper alloy, India, Tamil Nadu
India, Tamil Nadu
12th century
Shiva as Lord of Dance (Shiva Nataraja), Copper alloy, India, Tamil Nadu
India, Tamil Nadu
late 12th–early 13th century
Tambura, Gourd, wood, ivory, bone, paint, steel, Indian
Indian
19th century
Marquee: Seated Ganesha, 14th–15th century. India (Orissa). Ivory, H. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Klejman, 1964 (64.102)

Plan Your Visit

Dates
Jusqu'au 15 juin 2025
Free with Museum admission