This 18th or 19th century bronze figure of GANESH is from Northern India or Nepal.

This bronze figure is in outstanding condition with a wonderful patina.

It has lost it's sealed base cover, possibly from someone looking for smuggled jewels or treasure in it's base (the smuggling of valuables in old bronzes was known to happen, although rarely). It measures about 8 inches tall by 9 inches wide by 4 inches in depth.

It shows the elephant headed god Ganesh with five heads and eight arms, each holding a different symbol.

Five-headed Ganesh (Panchamukha Ganesh) The Nepalese Ganesh often has several heads, as well as numerous arms. This may be from an influence of the tantric art of the Vajrayana (a particularly Tibetan aspect of Mahayana Buddhism).The significance of the five-headed Ganesh may be explained by various factors. The number five frequently occurs in Nepalese iconography. An example would be the five Maha Bhûta of the Tattva theory in the Sâmkhya with their corresponding organs. But the most relevant meaning of the five-headed Ganesh is the five heads symbolize the five kosha experienced by the yogi: 1. Annamaya kosha: the flesh body made of matter, 2. Pranamaya kosha: the breath body, or energy body, 3. Manomayakosha: the mental body, 4. Vighnânamayakosha: the body of the Upper Consciousness, and 5. Anandamayakosha: the body of Cosmic Bless. The fifth head of Ganesh symbolizes the highest level of yogic experience, called Anandamayakosha, or Sat-Chit-Ananda, the Pure Consciousness without qualification.