Ivory throne leg
date: label: Date
content: 13th century
label: Period
content: Eastern Ganga dynasty
notes: label: Label
content: Since at least the second century, Indian sculptors created ivory thrones to proclaim royal command. On this splendidly carved throne leg, a gajasimha--a mythical creature combining the strength of an elephant (gaja) and a lion (simha)--calmly dispatches the demonic warrior dangling from its trunk. The sculptor contrasted the forceful curves and broad smooth surfaces of the elephant-lion with an intricately realized mountain landscape. Archers and wildlife gambol through its crags, while a hermit meditates and a lion slumbers.
label: Provenance
content: To 1907
label: Provenance
content: Spink & Son Ltd., London, to 1907 [1]
label: Provenance
content: From 1907 to 1919
label: Provenance
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Spink & Son Ltd. in 1907 [2]
label: Provenance
content: From 1920
label: Provenance
content: Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
label: Provenance
content: Notes:
label: Provenance
content: [1] See Original Miscellaneous List, S.I. 933, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.
label: Provenance
content: [2] See note 1.
label: Provenance
content: [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
label: Collection
content: Freer Gallery of Art Collection
label: Exhibition History
content: Connecting Stories at the National Museum of Asian Art (April 29, 2023 - ongoing)
label: Exhibition History
content: Arts of the Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas (October 16, 2004 to January 3, 2016)
label: Exhibition History
content: At the Margins (June 4 to November 30, 1997)
label: Exhibition History
content: South and South East Asian Art (May 9, 1993 to February 7, 2000)
label: Exhibition History
content: The Arts of South Asia (May 13, 1985 to December 2, 1985)
label: Exhibition History
content: The Ramayana (July 18, 1983 to April 15, 1984)
label: Exhibition History
content: Hindu and Buddhist Art (April 1, 1982 to July 18, 1983)
label: Exhibition History
content: Hindu and Buddhist Art (January 28, 1981 to September 24, 1981)
label: Exhibition History
content: Indian Art (January 1, 1963 to January 28, 1981)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, South Asian Art, Gallery 8 (July 15, 1958 to January 1, 1963)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Spink & Son Ltd. (established 1666) (C.L. Freer source)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
place: label: Origin
content: Orissa, India
topic: label: Topic
content: ivory
label: Topic
content: lion
label: Topic
content: elephant
label: Topic
content: Eastern Ganga dynasty (700 - 1299)
label: Topic
content: India
label: Topic
content: South Asian and Himalayan Art
label: Topic
content: Charles Lang Freer collection
label: Topic
content: hermit
setName: label: Related Online Resources
content: Google Arts & Culture
label: See more items in
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Charles Lang Freer
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: F1907.8
objectType: label: Type
content: Furniture and Furnishing
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Ivory
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 34.9 x 15.7 x 13.2 cm (13 3/4 x 6 3/16 x 5 3/16 in)