Goddess of Abundance Enthroned on Lion and Lustrated by Elephants
by Unknown Artist, 601
Artwork Details
Details
- Year
- 601
- Medium
- Chlorite
- Size
- 24.3 × 14.5 × 3.7 cm (9 5/8 × 5 3/4 × 1 7/16 in.)
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This 7th-8th century chlorite sculpture depicts Gajalakshmi (Elephant Lakshmi), the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune, and abundance being bathed (lustrated) by elephants. The elephants grasp upside-down vessels of sacred water, pouring it over the goddess. In Indian thought, elephants are harbingers of rain, linking them to fertility and abundance. The flow of water symbolizes the prosperity Lakshmi bestows.
Gajalakshmi imagery first appeared in Indian art around the 1st century BCE at the Buddhist site of Bharhut and was adopted across Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain contexts. The goddess is enthroned on a lion, combining symbols of royal power with abundance. The piece measures about 10 by 6 inches in chlorite. It's at the Art Institute of Chicago, a gift from Marilynn B. Alsdorf.
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About Goddess of Abundance Enthroned on Lion and Lustrated by Elephants
Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and abundance) being lustrated (bathed) by elephants. "Gaja" means elephant. The elephants pour sacred water from upside-down vessels, symbolizing the prosperity and fertility Lakshmi bestows.
In Indian thought, elephants are harbingers of rain, linking them to fertility, abundance, and royal power. Their bathing of Lakshmi symbolizes the flow of prosperity. The combination appears across Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain art traditions.
Gajalakshmi imagery first appeared in Indian art around the 1st century BCE at the Buddhist site of Bharhut (125-100 BCE). It's been used across Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain contexts for over two thousand years.
At the Art Institute of Chicago. About 10 by 6 inches in chlorite.
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