A BASTAR BRONZE OF GODDESS DANTESHVARI ON AN ELEPHANT A BASTAR BRONZE OF GODDESS DANTESHVARI ON AN ELEPHANT BronzeIndia, 19th-20th centuryA very rare piece and completely preserved depiction of the danteshvari, which is also popular in the Bastar era. The goddess sits in a so-called howdah, which is a kind of basket that is covered with a canopy. The basket is like a square almost like a cube and looks very Islamic. The roof is round and on the front side is a moon and sunshine symbol. Danteshvari is sitting with her attributes khadga and khappar and she does not sit on the bottom of the basket, she hangs mid air on a swing. The head of the elephant is rather flat but fully decorated. A serrated band surrounds the forehead, the sun and moon are again shown between the eyes, the tusks are short. At the end of the trunk is a bowl with a spiral. The mahout sits right behind the head. The canopy is also fully decorated with diamonds hanging down at the edges that almost hides the danteshvari in all her glory. The elephant’s tail is endlessly long and thin. The basket cannot be removed but the canopy but the canopy and goddess is removable.Dimensions: 33.5 CMCondition: Very good condition. Provenance: Collection of an Indian gentleman