A LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF GANESHA, KOH KER STYLE, 10TH CENTURY

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A LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF GANESHA, KOH KER STYLE, 10TH CENTURY This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005: “No. 182, LA 1968, Adrian Maynard, Khmer Koh Ker Ganesha 10th c.” Gallery price: EUR 45,000 or approx. EUR 75,000 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. Khmer Empire. Boldly carved seated on a rectangular base with the legs crossed in a composed, meditative posture, the deity holds a broken tusk in one hand and a bowl of sweets in the other. The pot-bellied body is clad in a finely rendered sampot, its flange curling elegantly. The reverse is embellished by a distinctive butterfly-shaped element. The elephant head is crisply defined, with short tusks and a gently curling trunk, flanked by broad, fanned ears, and a tall foliate tiara rising above. Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Height 95 cm (excl. stand, incl. tang), 97 cm (incl. stand) With an associated modern stand. (2) The Koh Ker temple complex, approximately 80 km northeast of Angkor, was the capital of the Khmer Empire from 928 to 944, under the kings Jayavarman IV and Harshavarman II. Koh Ker's sculptural style is distinct from those developed in Angkor's immediate vicinity. The stone sculpture, often monumental in size, is imbued with a heightened sense of movement and a suppleness of form. The broad flap of pleated fabric that hangs over the sash at the waist, a fashion which first appeared in the last quarter of the ninth century, then became the convention in the tenth century during the Koh Ker period and can also be seen on male figures from Banteay Srei. The Koh Ker style would play a pivotal role in shaping the later Angkor Wat aesthetic, superseding the softer contours and more sensual qualities of the Baphuon. As Martin Lerner observes, for a “ruler concerned with martial campaigns and responsible for such a gigantic personal monument as Angkor Wat, the Baphuon figural style may have appeared too consciously unheroic and sensuous.” (Ancient Khmer Sculpture, New York, 1994, p. 46) A popular Hindu deity, Ganesha was introduced to Cambodian artists in the 7th century. Over the next five centuries, India's chubby elephant icon was transformed into a sleek, anthropomorphic figure. Ganesha is known by many other names, the most common ones being Ganapati, Vinayaka, Vighanapati, Balachandra, and Vighaneshvara. He has two sons, Ksema (meaning prosperity; he is also called Subha, auspiciousness), and Labha (profit). Literature comparison: Compare the closely related famous Koh Ker Ganesha, believed to originate from Prasat Bak Temple in Koh Ker, and now in the National Museum of Cambodia. Compare a closely related sandstone figure of Ganesha, 70.5 cm high, dated to the 10th century, in the Birmingham Museum of Art, accession number 1978.73. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Zacke, Vienna, 16 April 2026, lot 204 Price: EUR 20,800 at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar pose, adornments, and sampot. Note the smaller size (78 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Amsterdam, 8 May 2001, lot 585 Price: NLG 41,125 or approx. EUR 32,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar pose, adornments, and sampot. Note the much smaller size (37 cm).

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