Artwork Page for Gajalakshmi: Lakshmi with Elephants

Details / Information for Gajalakshmi: Lakshmi with Elephants

Gajalakshmi: Lakshmi with Elephants

c. 1890

Eastern India, Bengal, Kolkata, Kalighat

Medium
Gum tempera, graphite, ink, and tin on paper
Measurements
Secondary Support: 60.7 x 42.4 cm (23 7/8 x 16 11/16 in.); Painting only: 43 x 27.7 cm (16 15/16 x 10 7/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of William E. Ward in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward 2003.149
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print

Description

Seated on a lotus in the yoga lotus position (padmasana), Lakshmi (wife of Vishnu and goddess of fortune, prosperity, and beauty) is flanked by elephants that anoint her and express their devotion by bathing her with water from the pot held aloft with their trunks. The lotus seat serves as a throne while the elephants’ trunks form an arch within which she is enshrined.
A vertically oriented tempera painting depicts a four-armed goddess with yellow skin seated on a blue lotus. She wears a red sari and silver jewelry, flanked by two gray elephants standing on pink flowers. The elephants curve their trunks toward a yellow vessel above her head. Stylized green vines with dark leaves surround the figures against a flat, tan background. Bold, sweeping lines define the centered composition.

Gajalakshmi: Lakshmi with Elephants

c. 1890

Eastern India, Bengal, Kolkata, Kalighat

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork