The elephant Theme

About the elephant-theme, in particular the contour (of the basic-form) of the elephant including everything one can perceive inside the "boundery" of this contour and what really is very striking in it, I have an example of a little elephant exposed in diverse positions. Measures: L. 4,2 cm; B. 4,2 cm and it's 2,5 cm thick.

A. The elephant from a certain angle but complete with head, trunk and body. The eye-catcher are the two next to each other lying cavities, which make the trunk visible. Actually the trunk entwines the two cavities or holes.

B. At the back another elephant of which the trunk reaches to the round part below. Now the elephant is coming from the left side and one can see a triangle with an egg in the corner below. So: an elephant standing with body and trunk on the egg.

 

Website in process,

building it while you look,

come back later for more ..

C. When we overturn B. a quarter of a turn to the left, we can see an elephant head with the trunk to the left, but also a complete elephant going to the right direction.

D. Another quarter of a turn to the left of C.: this is an elephant head with the trunk curled down- and inwards.

E. Looking at A. again and turning it a quarter of a turn to the right one can see, inside the mark of the elephant, a little owl (a female element) and the right part -outside the mark- is a male element. Now it's becoming complicated, for the outlying part is a combination of trunk, human nose and leg of the elephant, always considered as male symbols. Here's a reference to the phallic trunk.

Another development is sculptures is the depicting of a female figure, lying on top of a male or animal head, in a fluent gesture of the arm holding his/its nose.

The egg also is a frequently occurring item in combination with the elephant, which refers to feminine symbolism in the shape of Venuses like the elephants themselves do with their round bodies (or mother-figures), whilst the trunk refers to the male element. Besides the many portraits, included in the elephants sculptures, one frequently can discover a head underneath of the feet and the belly, when the sculpture is upside down or overturned.

Elephantcollection