Animals Mythical & Real

Subjects, Topics & Types:
- Description
--- Iconographic (below)
--- Decorative/Symbolic (below)
--- Narrative (below)
- Masterworks
- Confusions: makara
- Others...

Videos:
- Elephant Imagery in Art
- Ganapati Introduction
- Is the Hindu Ganapati & the Buddhist Ganapati the Same?

Iconographic:
- Akshobhya Buddha
- Tara (eight fears)
- Chaturmukha Mahakala
- Ganapati/Ganesha
- Kolpo Kundali
- Gaja Lakshmi
- Charya & Yoga Tantras: Secondary Mandala Figures
- Ithyphallic Art
- Elephant under foot:
--- Shadbhuja Mahakala
--- Bhutadamara Vajrapani (Charya Tantra)
--- Vighnantaka
--- Others...

Decorative/Symbolic:
- Elephant skin garment
- Throne Support: Elephant Throne (Vajra Family)
- Animal Mount:
--- Samantabhadra Bodhisattva
--- Indra
--- Pehar Gyalpo (Mind)
- Sita Manjushri (Mati Panchen)
- Seven Jewels of Royal Power
- Torana
- Others...

Narrative:
- Four Harmonious Friends
- Shakyamuni Buddha Life Story
- Jataka Tales/Stories
- Avadana Stories

Elephant imagery is very common in Himalayan art and it is found in number of different subject areas. It is best to divide the study of elephant imagery into the three categories of Iconographic, Decorative/Symbolic and Narrative.

Jeff Watt [updated 1-2019, 8-2021]

(The images below are only a selection of examples from the links above).

Ritual Object
Elephant

Item No. 10605

Item No. 11626

Item No. 20449

Item No. 20555

Item No. 20797

Item No. 22063

Miscellaneous
Elephant

Item No. 71153

Item No. 71160

Item No. 79615

Gajalakshmi (Hindu Deity)

Item No. 91692

Ritual Object
Elephant