A MONUMENTAL INDIAN SANDALWOOD CARVING OF MAHATMA GANDHI 1869-1948

A MONUMENTAL INDIAN SANDALWOOD CARVING OF MAHATMA GANDHI 1869-1948
FIRST HALF 20TH CENTURY

Realistically carved, he stands wearing three bead necklaces, with his distinctive dhoti loincloth and carrying a shawl and a simple staff. The whole raised on an Indian rosewood and sandalwood pedestal formed as an elaborate trapezoidal prism, the side faces with oval vignettes carved in relief with scenes from everyday life, the figure 105cm, (including the pedestal, 205cm).

Provenance: an Indian private collection, in London with the current owners since at least the 1950s.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India's independence from British rule and later inspire movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.

On the 22nd of September 1921, Gandhi made the decision to change his clothing from the elaborate Gujarati attire to a simple dhoti and shawl. He decided that as he was to work for the poor people of India, to identify with them, he should not wear different clothes.

An interesting anecdote is the reluctant invitation to afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace by King George V to Gandhi; reluctant, because Gandhi?s poor man?s dress was simply against court etiquette. But Gandhi was also equally adamant by pre-announcing that he would not re-clothe even to meet the King. His stand was simple, that the Indian poor were still naked because of Britain. Later, when asked if he was not wearing enough clothes to meet the King, Gandhi is reported to have remarked, ?The King had enough on for both of us?.