{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25160"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25160/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT8321/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT8321/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AT8321","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AH2895","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AD0437","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AD0430","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA7290","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MV0086","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MV0102","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MV0103","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MV0104","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MV0106","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MV0107","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MV0108","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O25160/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25160","accessionNumber":"IS.2565-1883","objectType":"Gable and portions of a ceiling","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"One large part of the gable from a temple, which was demolished in 1874, shows the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi, being lustrated from small ritual jars (<i>lota</i>) by a pair of elephants. Lakshmi is seated with her feet crossed, and is represented four armed, holding in her lower arms the conch (<i>sangka</i>) and discus (<i>cakra</i>), attributes of her consort Vishnu. In her upper pair of hands she holds two flowering lotus stems. She is flanked by two offering stands with covered jars – perhaps denoting jewel or money containers, and a mirror, an allusion to the feminine beauty and charm of this bestower of grace and good fortune. The elephants each wear bell-chains on their head, neck, and torso, celebratory of the goddess they honour. The siting of this panel is highly auspicious, as Lakshmi has a specific role in Vaishnava temples as the protectress of the entrance door to her husband’s sanctuary. Lakshmi is closely identified with Vishnu and is deemed to co-exist with him in each of his divine appearances (<i>avatara</i>).\r\n\r\nThis large panel served as the front gable for a Keralan temple or shrine entrance porch. Square mortice holes interrupting the scrolling design of the border mark where perpendicular roof struts had been fitted to support a roof. Undoubtedly this panel was originally richly polychromed, but, sited on a temple exterior, it has now lost all trace of colour.","physicalDescription":"Portions of a ceiling and a gable from a temple in Kochi (formerly Cochin), Kerala. The wedge-shaped gable (IS.2565C) depicts the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi, being lustrated from small ritual jars (<i>lota</i>) by a pair of elephants. Lakshmi is seated with her feet crossed, and is represented four armed, holding in her lower arms the conch (<i>sangka</i>) and discus <i>(cakra</i>), attributes of her consort Vishnu. In her upper pair of hands she holds two flowering lotus stems. She is flanked by two offering stands with covered jars – perhaps denoting jewel or money containers, and a mirror, an allusion to the feminine beauty and charm of this bestower of grace and good fortune. The elephants each wear bell-chains on their head, neck, and torso, celebratory of the goddess they honour.  The scene is framed with a foliated scroll which curves round the outline of the lustrating elephants.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Wood","id":"AAT11914"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wood, formerly polychromed","categories":[],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AT8321","2006AH2895","2006AD0437","2006AD0430","2017KA7290","2021MV0086","2021MV0102","2021MV0103","2021MV0104","2021MV0106","2021MV0107","2021MV0108"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396824"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES396828"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"47B (VA)","id":"THES49796"},"free":"","case":"EXP","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396824"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES368806"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES368806"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES368806"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES368802"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES368806"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"gables (architectural elements)","id":"AAT2296"}],[{"text":"Gable","id":""}],[{"text":"Gable","id":""}],[{"text":"Gable","id":""}],[{"text":"Bracket","id":""}],[{"text":"Bracket","id":""}],[{"text":"Bracket","id":""}],[{"text":"Bracket","id":""}],[{"text":"Bracket","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Kochi","id":"x32824"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"Removed from a temple"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"19th century","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"205","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Approximate width of the Gable, IS.2565C-1883","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"IS.2565C-1883","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"12","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Depth of Gable IS.2565C-1883 including modern brackets","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"IS.2565C-1883","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The ceiling and gable came from a temple in Kochi (Cochin) that was demolished in 1874.","historicalContext":"The large gable panel (IS.2565) was part of the front gable for a Keralan temple or shrine entrance porch. Square mortice holes interrupting the design mark where the perpendicular roof struts were fitted to support the roof. Undoubtedly this panel was originally richly polychromed, but since it would have been sited on a temple exterior it has lost all trace of colour.\r\n\r\n","briefDescription":"Parts of a temple ceiling and gable including a relief of Lakshmi lustrated by elephants, polychrome wood, Kochi, south-west India, 19th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John (ed.). <u>La Escultura en los Templos Indios: El Arte de la Devoción,</u> Barcelona, Fundación ‘La Caixa’, 2007. p.230, No.185.\r\nISBN: 978-84-7664-945-9"},{"reference":{"text":"Michell, George (ed.) <u>Living Wood: Sculptural Traditions of Southern India</u>, Bombay, 1992","id":"AUTH353302"},"details":"p.191, Cat.98","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Hinduism","id":"AAT73727"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Gable with the Hindu Goddess Gajalakshmi\r\n\r\nAbout 1750–1850 \r\n\r\nLakshmi is the goddess of prosperity and good fortune.\r\nHere, as Gajalakshmi, she is being ceremonially sprinkled \r\nby elephants. She holds lotuses, her own attribute, and \r\nalso a conch and discus, attributes of her consort Vishnu.\r\nThe gable comes from the porch of a sanctuary that was \r\nprobably dedicated to Vishnu, giving Lakshmi the role of \r\nprotector. It was originally richly painted. \r\n\r\nWood with traces of polychrome\r\nSouth-west India (Kochi, Kerala)\r\nRescued from a temple demolished in 1874 \r\n\r\nMuseum no. IS.2565:C-1883 ","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.2565A-1883","IS.2565B-1883","IS.2565C-1883","IS.2565D-1883","IS.2565E-1883","IS.2565F-1883","IS.2565G-1883","IS.2565H-1883","IS.2565L-1883"],"accessionNumberNum":"2565","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1883,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Gable fragment","Gable [1]","Gable [2]","Gable [3]","Bracket [1]","Bracket [2]","Bracket [3]","Bracket [4]","Bracket [5]","Panel"],"assets":["2019LN8605","2019LV2898","2019LW0676"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-17","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-14","availableToBook":false}}