Ganesha with Chaturdal Kamal
Artist
Krishnanand Jha
(Indian, 1938 - 2018)
Place of OriginBihar state, India
Date1982
MaterialsInk and colors on paper
DimensionsH. 30 in x W. 22 1/2 in, H. 76.20 cm x W. 57.15 cm
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number1999.39.44
DepartmentSouth Asian Art
ClassificationsPainting
On View
Not on viewThe figure of Ganesha wearing a long scarf, seated with legs crossed, and leaning against a bolster fills the picture frame. The reddish four-petaled lotus (chaturdal kamal) identifies this painting as a representation of the muladhar chakra, the root energy center in the tantric system of physiology. Ganesha is the deity often associated with this chakra.
Krishna Nand Jha’s style is distinctive among Mithila artists. He favors a pastel color palette and a painted surface tightly covered with delicate line work. The meticulousness, density, and variety of patterns in his works suggest that the very act of painting is one of meditation and devotion for the artist.
A comparison of Ganesha images as rendered by Krishna Nand Jha, Jogmaya Devi, and Dulari Devi remind us of the role of originality, individual style, and unique expression that each artist brings into his or her conceptualization of familiar and oft-depicted subjects.
Krishna Nand Jha’s style is distinctive among Mithila artists. He favors a pastel color palette and a painted surface tightly covered with delicate line work. The meticulousness, density, and variety of patterns in his works suggest that the very act of painting is one of meditation and devotion for the artist.
A comparison of Ganesha images as rendered by Krishna Nand Jha, Jogmaya Devi, and Dulari Devi remind us of the role of originality, individual style, and unique expression that each artist brings into his or her conceptualization of familiar and oft-depicted subjects.
