AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE AND LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF VISHNU, BAKHENG STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, 10TH CENTURY

拍品描述

AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE AND LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF VISHNU, BAKHENG STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, 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. 335, LA 1972, A. Maynard, Khmer Bakheng, bejeweled Vishnu 10th c.” Gallery price: EUR 115,000 or approx. EUR 192,000 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: The present sculpture combines elements of the Bakheng and Koh Ker styles of the late 9th and early 10th centuries, and features a rare and unusual lotiform chignon. Compare a related Khmer sandstone figure of a yaksha with similar lotiform chignon, dated end of the first quarter of the 10th century, 170 cm high, illustrated in Emma C. Bunker and Douglas Latchford, Adoration and Glory: The Golden Age of Khmer Art, 2004, p. 128, no. 37a, b, where the authors note the “combination of Bakheng-style dress and Koh Ker-style diadem”. Khmer Empire, Cambodia. Masterfully carved, depicted standing firmly in samabhanga, clad in a knee-length pleated sampot with a double fishtail hem that falls gracefully at the front, secured by a sash at the waist. The bare torso defined with subtly contoured breasts and adorned with elaborate jewelry rendered in high relief. The finely sculpted face conveys a serene expression, with almond-shaped eyes beneath delicately arched brows, a broad nose, and full lips forming a restrained smile. Long, pendulous earlobes, embellished with floral earrings, frame the countenance. The hair is neatly arranged and surmounted by a distinctive lotus-bud finial, secured by an intricately ornamented foliate tiara. Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Height 114.5 cm (excl. stand), 123.4 cm (incl. stand) With an associated metal stand. (2) While sculptures of the Bakheng style are generally characterized by a severe stylization in the treatment of the torso, drapery, and facial features, the present example displays an unusual lightness and gentle sensuality that aligns it closely with slightly later traditions, notably the Koh Ker (928-944) and the Pre Rup (944-968) styles. This affinity is suggested by the subtle high-relief rendering of the folds of the sampot and by the delicate benevolence of the facial expression. At the same time, the work retains a defining Bakheng characteristic in the treatment of the eyebrows, rendered as a continuous raised ridge, a distinctive formal convention of the style. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 March 2009, lot 1428 Price: USD 146,500 or approx. EUR 199,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related modeling and manner of carving with similar facial features and jewelry. Note the larger size (129.5 cm) and state of preservation. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s Amsterdam, 8 May 2002, lot 621 Price: EUR 35,850 or approx. EUR 61,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related modeling and manner of carving. Note the size (101 cm).

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