A RARE AND IMPORTANT SANDSTONE FIGURE OF BUDDHA MUCHALINDA, ANGKOR BOREI STYLE, PRE-ANGKOR PERIOD, 7TH CENTURY

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A RARE AND IMPORTANT SANDSTONE FIGURE OF BUDDHA MUCHALINDA, ANGKOR BOREI STYLE, PRE-ANGKOR PERIOD, 7TH CENTURY This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005: “No. 185, LA 1972, A. Maynard, Pre-Angkor 7th c. Angkor Borei Buddha Muchalinda” Gallery price: EUR 85,000 or approx. EUR 142,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing. The ledger establishes that this object was located in Europe before the UNESCO 1970 Convention entered into force. Expert’s note: Pre-Angkorian sandstone representations of the Buddha Muchalinda are exceptionally rare, and the present sculpture is distinguished by its powerful carving, pronounced three-dimensionality, and remarkable state of preservation. Although Buddhist sculpture of the pre-Angkor period often shares stylistic affinities with contemporaneous Dvaravati art, the slightly elongated proportions of this figure signal a subtle departure from those conventions, lending the Buddha an elegant sense of buoyancy and spiritual elevation. Compare two Dvaravati sandstone reliefs of Buddha Muchalinda in the National Museum, Bangkok, one illustrated in John Guy, Lost Kingdoms: Hindu-Buddhist Sculpture of Early Southeast Asia, p. 200-201, no. 111. Skillfully carved, depicted seated in dhyanasana upon the coiled body of the serpent Muchalinda, his hands resting in his lap in dhyana mudra. The stylized torso, devoid of ornament or drapery, extending into a well-defined head, with the face bearing a meditative expression, characterized by downcast eyes, a broad nose, and full lips forming a subtle smile, all flanked by long, pendulous earlobes, and surmounted by a neatly arranged coiffeur in orderly, large curls that cover an almost imperceptible ushnisha. The figure sheltered by the seven-headed hood of the naga, each head carved with a grotesque visage, with partially open mouth revealing sharp fangs. Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Height 90.5 cm (excl. stand), 100.8 cm (incl. stand) With an associated modern stand. (2) Angkor Borei was an important early center of Buddhism and Buddhist temple construction before the establishment of the Khmer Empire. The present figure is characteristic of Angkor Borei sculpture, as seen in the subtle protuberance of the ushnisha and the large snail-shell curls. Sculpture from this early period draws influence from Brahmanic sources combined with indigenous local traditions, forming a synthesis of unusual and extraordinary beauty exhibiting the naturalism and grace that echoes the treatment of the body in Gupta-period India, where ornamentation is minimized to emphasize the smooth volume of the form. Literature comparison: Compare a related sandstone figure of Buddha, Pre-Angkor period, Angkor Borei style, exhibited by the Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt, Buddha 108 Encounters, 26 February-7 June 2015. Compare a related sandstone figure of Buddha, pre-Angkor period, Phnom Da style, dated 6th century, 90.5 cm high, in the National Museum of Cambodia, inventory number Ka.1591. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Amsterdam, 21 November 2001, lot 214 Price: EUR 32,900 or approx. EUR 56,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, stone, and subject. Note the much smaller size (53 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s Paris, 14 December 2016, lot 24 Price: EUR 242,500 or approx. EUR 320,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related modeling of the figure, with analogous treatment of the hair, manner of carving, and stone. Note the larger size (147 cm) and later date.

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