Ganesha Seated on a Lion Throne

Ganesha Seated on a Lion Throne

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This chubby Ganesha wears a necklace of bells—typically worn by children in India—while using his trunk to reach for a bowl of sweetmeats. He holds his broken tusk as if it were a cornucopia, reflecting his role as a bringer of abundance. He sits in royal ease on a throne flanked by a pair of lions that make direct reference to the vehicle (vahana) of his mother, the goddess Durga.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ganesha Seated on a Lion ThroneGanesha Seated on a Lion ThroneGanesha Seated on a Lion ThroneGanesha Seated on a Lion ThroneGanesha Seated on a Lion Throne

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.