Ganesha Copper alloy Khmer, Angkor Period, Bayon style

A rare form of the deity, seated on a yoni pedestal in a yogic posture with his legs crossed at the ankle, the knees raised, four-armed, his upavita and armbands formed from multi-headed nagas, wearing a short sampot secured by a jeweled belt, a necklace with a naga rosette at the back and a diadem, his hair raised in to a bud-shaped top knot.

Hong Kong Collection, 1980's

A green patina on the surface with areas of deep blue due to oxidation of metal. Small areas of the original brown polished surface visible especially on the left knee. Corrosion on both of the upper arms and hard soil encrustation on the underside of the legs and on the pedestal. The pedestal hollow with soil encrustation. A small area of bronze disease on the top of the headdress. No restoration.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Ganesha is associated with his father Shiva by the presence of the yoni. In this Hindu Tantric form the sculpture illustrates the aspects of the god important to the Khmers of the late thirteenth century under the reign of Jayavarman VIII, a devout Shaivite. These aspects are those that symbolize rebirth. The first lies in his mythology and his emergence as a new being after he was decapitated and given the elephant head. The second is the presence of the nagas who shed their old skins and emerge restored. A stone eighth century Ganesha standing on a yoni is on display in the National Museum of Bangkok and is featured in a 1982 dissertation by Virginia Dofflemeyer for the Faculty of the Graduate School, University of Southern California.