South India, Tamil Nadu. Finely carved in a dancing pose, his left side with four arms, one hand holding the hem of his robe, another holding his broken tusk, the coiled trunk extended toward the left side, his face with almond-shaped eyes and neatly incised arched brows, the head surmounted by an elaborate crown.

Provenance: Parminder Soin, Munich, Germany, by 1983. A private collection in Germany, acquired from the above and thence by descent. A copy of an expertise, signed by Parminder Soin, owner of Alte Indische und Asiatische Kunst, Munich, Germany, dated 12 August 1983, dating the present figure to the 12^th century and attributing it to a Shiva temple in Madurai, stating a value of DEM 20,000-22,000 or approx. EUR 17,500-19,500 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, losses, nicks, scratches, signs of weathering and erosion, structural cracks, encrustations.

Weight: 23.7 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 51 cm (excl. stand) and 55 cm (incl. stand)

Mounted on an associated stand. (2)

Madurai, a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and its cultural capital, is built around the Meenakshi Temple, which acted as the geographic and ritual center of the ancient city of Madurai. Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple was built by the Pandayan Emperor Sadayavarman Kulasekaran I (reigned 1190-1205). The temple is a major pilgrimage destination within the Shaivism tradition, dedicated to Meenakshi Devi and Shiva. Other temples in Madurai include the Koodal Azhagar and Kallalagar temples, which are dedicated to Vishnu, and the Madurai Mukkuruni Vinayagar Ganesh temple.

Known as the Remover of Obstacles and worshipped for auspicious beginnings, Ganesha is a beloved Hindu deity. Regardless of his elephant head, multiple arms, jewelry, and plump figure, his character is clever and his body remarkably agile, as demonstrated by his dancing steps in the present example. Like the other Hindu gods, Ganesha manifests a variety of appearances, always recognizable by his elephant head. The theme of the dancing Ganesha, in which he follows in the footsteps of his father, Shiva Nataraja, also captivated the sculptors of Central India, who produced some of the liveliest examples between the 8th and 11th centuries, the present lot however being in no way inferior to such pieces.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 March 2019, lot 645
Price: USD 50,000 or approx. EUR 53,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Red Sandstone Stele of Dancing Ganesha, Central India, 10th-11th Century
Expert remark: Compare the related style, carving technique, pose, material and size (62 cm).