A VERY RARE KHMER SANDSTONE FIGURE OF VISHNU, BAKONG STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, LATE 9TH CENTURY

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A VERY RARE KHMER SANDSTONE FIGURE OF VISHNU, BAKONG STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, LATE 9TH CENTURY This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005: “No. 333, A. Maynard, LA 1971, Khmer Bakong Roluos 10th c. Vishnu .” Gallery price: EUR 74,000 or approx. EUR 124,000 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. Finely carved standing in samabhanga, clad in a knee-length sampot, its elegantly rendered fishtail pleats finely incised and cascading toward the front, secured at the waist by a sash. The well-defined torso left bare, articulated by a subtly incised navel. The finely modeled face conveys a serene and benevolent expression, with almond-shaped eyes beneath gently arched brows, a prominent nose, and full lips forming a composed smile, further distinguished by a delicate moustache, all flanked by long, pendulous earlobes. The hair neatly arranged in a columnar chignon behind a flaring tiara composed of foliate petals. Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Height 81.5 cm (excl. stand), 91.3 cm (incl. stand) With an associated metal stand. (2) Bakong, the great stepped-pyramid temple and mausoleum built by Indravarman I (r. 877-889), gives its name to the style of sculpture from this period. It is noted for being iconic and heavily proportioned, with a strong sense of authority conveying the ideas of universal kingship just beginning to become prevalent in Southeast Asia. The voluminous form encapsulates the concept of the body as container of the prana (sacred breath), and the diaphragm expansion is almost visible here. The form of headdress, with upright foliate petals, and the towering chignon with lappet-like locks are also seen in a head of Harihara from Preah Ko (see literature comparison below). Both temples belong to the Roluos Group, built in the late ninth century by Indravarman and his successor Yasovarman I in Hariharalaya, the first capital of the Khmer Empire near present-day Siem Reap. The Roluos Group are some of the earliest permanent structures built by the Khmer polities, marking the beginning of the classical period of Khmer civilization. Some were entirely built with brick, others partially with laterite or sandstone. Bakong sculpture is the first to be carved completely in the round, dispensing with the supporting arch previously used to reinforce the structure—an innovative development during this period and a significant departure from the Indian model. There are few examples of almost complete Bakong sculptures where the drapery and the headdress are so well preserved, making the present lot extremely rare. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related sandstone head of Harihara with similar crown and chignon, 39 cm high, Preah Ko style, dated late 9th century, sold at Sotheby’s London, June 1985, donated to the Honolulu Academy of Arts in the 1990s, and now in the National Museum of Cambodia, inventory number Ka.2932. Compare a closely related sandstone figure of Shiva, Bakong style, late 9th century, 187 cm high, in the National Museum of Cambodia, inventory number Ka.1648. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s New York, 22 March 2011, lot 266 Price: USD 74,500 or approx. EUR 96,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, manner of carving, and stone. Note the similar size (87 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 19 September 2008, lot 292 Price: USD 266,500 or approx. EUR 352,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, manner of carving, and stone. Note the larger size (117 cm).

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