Seated Ganesha — Lalita Kapilavai — Traditional Artist
© Lalita Kapilavai — Traditional Artist. Digital Atelier & Cultural Archive. Digital reproduction, automated screen captures, and unauthorized printings are strictly prohibited.

Seated Ganesha
Natural pigments, shell gold on khadi cloth • L=30.5cms; W= 21.5cms
Seated Ganesha
Iconographic Commentary & Symbolism
Ganesha is believed to be the remover of obstacles in our path. Here, he is seated on a lotus pedestal that protrudes slightly outside the frame. His body is painted in sindhur or vermilion (common names for orange-red). He bears the attributes rosary, modak, axe and lotus in his arms and is in a meditative posture. The image is set against a light green background under a decorative arch.
The technique of painting is slightly different on cloth. The cloth is pasted on a flat wooden board and all the colours are applied upon. Once the painting work is done, the cloth is removed from the board and burnished from behind in the end. On a wasli paper, burnishing is done many times at every stage of colour application before beginning to finish the painting and once the painting is complete burnishing is never done.
Scan in physical gallery or exhibition floor for curatorial provenance.
