AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE BRONZE FIGURE OF A BODHISATTVA, PROBABLY FROM THE 'PRAKHON CHAI HOARD', PRE-ANGKOR, 8TH-9TH CENTURY

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AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE BRONZE FIGURE OF A BODHISATTVA, PROBABLY FROM THE 'PRAKHON CHAI HOARD', PRE-ANGKOR, 8TH-9TH CENTURY This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2012: “No. 700, Buddha Shakyamuni (Prakhon Chai) 9th c. Bronze, H.: 27.5 cm, LA 1982 ex Wolff NY” Gallery price: EUR 92,000 or approx. EUR 130,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing. Northeastern Thailand, Buriram province, 8th-9th century. Superbly cast, the Buddha is seated in ardha padmasana on a rectangular pedestal, the hands resting on the knees, dressed in a short sampot, secured by a belt, the face with a serene expression marked by delicately outlined features such as the almond-shaped eyes and full lips forming a gentle smile, the brow minutely incised, flanked by long pendulous ears, the exquisitely modeled hair combed into a tall jatamakuta with tiers of looped curls piled elegantly. Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Height 27 cm (excl. stand), 30.1 cm (incl. stand) With an associated stand. (2) As a center of Buddhist practice, primarily Mahayana Buddhism, the Prakhon Chai region produced figures of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that are depicted as ascetics; the figures are clad in the traditional Khmer and Thai sampot secured with a simple cord, and are otherwise unadorned, a departure from other Khmer styles in which bodhisattvas wear jewelry. As unifying stylistic features, the bodies of Prakhon Chai figures are strikingly slender and graceful, and the fingers of the four hands curl inwards towards the palm, as if the bodhisattva were delicately plucking flowers. The elaborate looping coiffure in the present example is also distinctive to the region, contrasting with the wild jatamukutas of Shaiva ascetics as they are depicted in India. The so-called “Prakhon Chai Hoard” was accidentally discovered by local villagers in 1964 at Prasat Hin Khao Plai Bat II, a tenth-century Khmer brick temple in Buriram Province. Concealed in a stone-covered pit within the temple precinct, the bronzes were likely buried during the site’s rededication for Brahmanical use. Some bear traces of cloth wrappings, evidence of careful ritual deposition. Initially misattributed to Prakhon Chai district, the cache in fact originated from nearby Lahan Sai, though the name has endured. Numbering at least fifty-three known examples and perhaps two to three hundred in total, it is possibly the largest and most important cache of Buddhist bronzes ever discovered in mainland Southeast Asia. These sculptures embody a fusion of Mon-Dvaravati, Khmer, and pre-Angkorian traditions, yet reveal a strikingly local vision. Their slender bodies, serene faces, and restrained drapery convey a spiritual clarity unique to this region. Distinctive features, such as the carefully plaited coiffure of bronze figures, distinguish them from their Indian prototypes and mark them as products of the Korat Plateau. The predominance of Avalokiteshvara and Maitreya over images of the Buddha reflects the strength of Mahayana devotion during this period of Southeast Asian history, making the present example of a seated Buddha even more rare. The hoard was first systematically studied by Jean Boisselier in 1967, who emphasized both the stylistic unity of the bronzes and their pivotal role in understanding the development of art in the Korat Plateau. His chronology has since been refined through comparisons with sculptures from Ban Thahnot, Ban Fai, and pre-Angkorian Khmer monuments of the eighth century. Their high tin content, which gives the metal a luminous silvery sheen, only enhances their elegance. Today the Prakhon Chai bronzes remain essential witnesses to the religious and artistic ferment of early Southeast Asia, among the most evocative and enduring Buddhist images ever produced. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams London, 5 November 2007, lot 305 Mid-Estimate: GBP 27,500 or approx. EUR 53,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of casting with similar face features and pose. Note the size (18 cm).

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