Ganesh, The Master of Music

$2625
Item Code: EG67
Specifications:
South Indian Temple Wood Carving
Height: 72 inch
Width: 17.2 inch
Depth: 6 inch
Weight: 34.80 kg
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
Shipped to 153 countries
Shipped to 153 countries
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
This excellent wood-panel, carved with exceptionally sensitive hands and affectionate touches, so soft as if rendered on gold or a piece of ivory portraying not only the elephant god’s form but also his intrinsic being, represents three forms of Lord Ganesh singing full-throated and playing on three initial and basic instruments of music in India : drums, lyre or stringed instrument, and flute. A ballad or a song of victory might have been the theme of his song. He is supporting his song by his 'vina' which he himself is playing. The movement of his fingers seems to strike its strings and create music. The artist has not conceived Lord Ganesh to play on these instruments just casually but under a well-considered scheme of thought for representing in him the unity of various sects as he reveals in his anatomy the unity of human and animal forms, and thereby of the two worlds.

Drum is the instrument associated with Shiva. He is said to have breathed life into the dead mass, which lay scattered after the Great Deluge was over, and enliven it with the beats of his ‘damaru’, the double or the two-sided drum. In later tradition, while this two-sided drum remained in prevalence, its two sides separated and there emerged drum-pair, one tall and other flat, the former vibrating the vertical spaces, and the latter, horizontal. An accomplished drummer, Ganesh is containing the flat drum, also known as female drum, within his inward turned left leg, and the taller, along the fold of the right. His pot-belly, almost fitted in between the two instruments, affords them solid support. His entire figure is inclined to left, perhaps to afford to the female drum incessant, more forceful, and strenuous and louder beats.

The flute was Krishna’s, and thereby Vishnu’s, instrument by which he subdued evil and wrong incarnated as serpent Kaliya, and effected release. ‘Vina’ or lyre, the stringed instrument was the tool of Saraswati, Brahma’s consort. She vibrated its strings for beauty, creativity, delight and every colour of culture. These three basic instruments represented three sectarian lines of Hinduism : Shaivism, Vaishnavism and the cult of Brahma, which dissolve and synthesize in the form of Lord Ganesh revealing their absolute unity in him.

All three forms of Lord Ganesh in this wood-panel have been carved with a Prabhavali around framing the entire space within. This structure, Prabhavali or whatever, has three divisions, each separated by a large beautifully rendered lotus stretching across the entire breadth and affording for each of the three forms of the elephant god a seat. The form of Lord Ganesh on the bottom has been conceived as playing on a pair of drums, one male, and the other, female, the earliest of the musical instrument in Indian tradition and one of the Creation’s tools. The drum was the essential tool also of dance performed to dissolve as also to delight, and correspondingly, the drum-beats were instrument also of dissolving as well as delighting. As suggest the gesture of his hand and the twist of his figure, the form of Ganesh in the centre has been represented as singing and in simultaneity playing on ‘vina’. Lord Ganesh has been represented in the compartment on the top of the Prabhavali as blowing his flute. In all three positions he has been portrayed as seated in semi-cross-legged posture revealing complete ease. Ganesh is believed to be the first accomplished Master of music who not only composed various 'ragas' and other musical disciplines but also wrote the ever first treatise on music.

In stark contrast to his usual four or multi-armed images carrying in them various attributes, mostly some kind of weapons, these all three figures have been conceived with normal two arms engaged in playing on one instrument or other, and none of them carrying any of the usual weapons or attributes. Deeper lines on the forehead, swelled trunk, eyes buried in their sockets and ears carved perfectly aligning to the curvatures of the rest of the figure are features common to all icons of Ganesh. Conjointly, the three figures, that on the bottom tilting to left, in the centre, to right, and finally, the one on the top, again to left, reveal unique rhythmic effect. Neatly carved fingers, palms and bejeweled feet in all three images reveal the tenderness of a child's palms and feet. A kind of divine sublimity, intrinsic rhythm bursting out powerfully and yet effortless, and the inherent bliss are the characteristics of all three icons.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.


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Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder. A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.
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2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.
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3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.
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4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.
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How to care for Wood Statues?


Wood is extensively used in sculpting especially in countries like China, Germany, and Japan. One feature that makes the wood extremely suitable for making statues and sculptures is that it is light and can take very fine detail. It is easier for artists to work with wood than with other materials such as metal or stone. Both hardwoods, as well as softwood, are used for making sculptures. Wood is mainly used for indoor sculptures because it is not as durable as stone. Changes in weather cause wooden sculptures to split or be attacked by insects or fungus. The principal woods for making sculptures and statues are cedar, pine, walnut, oak, and mahogany. The most common technique that sculptors use to make sculptures out of wood is carving with a chisel and a mallet. Since wooden statues are prone to damage, fire, and rot, they require proper care and maintenance.

 

  • Wood tends to expand and contract even after it has been processed, thus it is always recommended to keep the wooden sculptures in rooms with little humidity. Excess moisture can harm your masterpiece.

 

  • Periodical dusting of the finished piece is necessary to maintain its beauty as dust accumulation on the surface takes away the shine of the sculpture. You can use a clean and soft cloth or a hairbrush for this purpose.

 

  • You must avoid applying any chemical-based solutions that may damage the wood from the inside. Instead, you can apply lemon oil or coconut oil using a cotton rag to the sculpture to bring out its natural shine. Lemon oil also helps to clean any stains on the sculpture.

 

  • Applying a layer of beeswax protects the wood from sun damage and hides even the smallest imperfections on the wood.

 

It is extremely important to preserve and protect wooden sculptures with proper care. A little carelessness and negligence can lead to their decay, resulting in losing all their beauty and strength. Therefore, a regular clean-up of the sculptures is a must to prolong their age and to maintain their shine and luster. 

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