INDIA

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Sūrya Head

Bangladesh Gupta period 4-6th century Terracotta Height: 21 cm Provenance: French private collection Price: 15.000 euros

ObJeCt PReSented by:

Christophe Hioco M.: +33 (0) 1 53 30 09 65 E.: info@galeriehioco.com W: www.galeriehioco.com The majesty of Sūrya

The god Sūrya, god of the Sun, is probably represented here. He wears a serene, subtle indolent expression, while his full lips seem to be smiling in a knowing way. Heavy eyelids fall over his almondshaped eyes, surmounting a straight, thin nose. Despite the absence of some of its attributes, these features are characteristic of the representation of Sūrya during the Gupta period, as are the well-drawn curls that frame his round face. A richly ornamented diadem surmounts the god’s head, giving him a majestic aura that was once underlined by a nimbus, which only a part has been preserved from the ravages of time. The left earring is also preserved, a testimony to the care given to ornamentation in the Gupta period.

The Golden Age of Indian Art

The Gupta period is often referred to as the golden age of Indian art. The important development of art and literature, as well as the emergence of numerous regional workshops, gave rise to a taste for ornamentation, as well as for the refined character of representations. Terracotta became a material of choice for artists, as this head of Sūrya shows. Terracotta was given a major decorative role, particularly in the ornamentation of temples and stupas, which were entirely covered with sculptures, pillars and lintels. Terracotta is used for both secular and mythological representations, and this work belongs to the second category, bearing witness to the know-how of Bangladeshi artists.

A witness to Gupta art

In fact, Gupta art has often come down to us in religious form; this is probably due to the quality of execution and the particular care given to this type of work. This representation of the Sun God is a virtuoso demonstration of Gupta art and its codes of beauty. The softness of the features and their atypical elegance is characteristic of this period, as is the richness of the ornamentation and jewellery. The use of terracotta, which gradually declined thereafter (with the exception of the Bengal region), is also very characteristic of this period. The degree of preservation of this work should also be emphasised, despite the apparent fragility of the terracotta.

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a leaf fRom a PanCHaTanTRa seRies (oR ‘PanCHaKHYana’ seRies)

Mewar, India Circa 1725 Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper Image: 19 cm x 18 cm Folio: 33 cm x 26,5 cm Provenance: Private collection. Bonhams New York, 11 September 2012, lot 124. christie’s new york, 27 September 2017, lot 251. Price on request

ObJeCt PReSented by:

Kapoor Galleries M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300 E.: info@kapoors.com W: www.kapoors.com

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The Panchatantra is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables connected by a larger story. There is a version of the Panchatantra in almost every major language in India, as well as many adaptations from all around the world. This leaf comes from a Jain recension of the Panchatantra, called the Panchakhyana Series. These tales, largely following anthropomorphised animals, are meant to impart earthly wisdom on how to conduct one’s life. The painting here is depicted in a continuous narrative in which successive episodes of the story are shown together in a single picture. The rural landscape, a vibrant yellow background split by a flowing river, contains three scenes. The first scene, on the left of the river, depicts an archer in red robes kneeling in wait with a resting bull. In the second scene to the right, the same archer is seen greeting two men in a bullock cart. The figure in orange is likely the protagonist of the narrative, while his companion holding the whip is the cart driver. Finally, in the lower register, the figure in the orange robe meets with another man, just as richly dressed as he. The fact that he sits on a mat, while the other does not, signifies his rank and importance. compare the color palette, strokes, and figural profiles of this painting to those of another circa-1725 illustrated Panchatantra folio at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (acc. M.90.160.2).

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a maHaRisHi on a TeRRaCe

Bikaner Circa 1700 Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper Image: 25,4 cm x 18,4 cm Folio: 30,5 cm x 23,5 cm Provenance: Private American collection Price on request

ObJeCt PReSented by:

Kapoor Galleries M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300 E.: info@kapoors.com W: www.kapoors.com

This fine painting depicting an unidentifiable maharishi appears to be from the same set as circa-1700 bikaner painting of Prithvisimha at worship; a promised gift to the norton Simon Museum published in Pratapaditya Pal’s painted poems, Pasadena, 2004, p. 18-19, cat. 74. As stated by Pal: “The painting is executed clearly, in a markedly different style from the pictures generally attributed to Bikaner early in the century. The pictorial touches evident in the handling of the internal space and the more realistic narrative strategies are derived ultimately from the Mughal tradition, which was introduced at the court, probably by Mughal-trained artists, during the reign of Karan Singh (1631-84). It was likely painted after the Karan Singh period” (see ibid). This stylistic approach is also reminiscent of that in the earlier Brahma and Narada paintings attributed to Bikaner, providing the possibility of an earlier date.

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mUlTi sTRand TURqUoise and agaTe neCKlaCe

Burma Pyu dinasty 8th century Length: 18 inches per strand Provenance: Private German collection Price: 12.000 USD

ObJeCt PReSented by:

Sue Ollemans M.: + 44 (0) 7775 566 356 E.: sue@ollemans.com W: www.ollemans.com

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A multistrand necklace made from micro beads in turquoise, gold, carnelian and etched agate.

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bUddHa sHaKYamUni

Bihar, Northeastern India Pala period 11th century Black basalt 68,6 cm x 36,3 cm x 16,5 cm Provenance: Private New York collection, since the 1990s. Publication: Himalayan Art Resources (himalayanart.org), item no. 7676. Price on request

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Kapoor Galleries M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300 E.: info@kapoors.com W: www.kapoors.com

A small canopy surmounts this stele of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni donning a crown given to him by the buddhas of the ten directions. floral motifs fill the upper third of this perfectly balanced composition: binding the beaded strands that comprise the buddha’s halo, decorating each of his ears and his crown, and stylized into triangular ornaments flanking his head. florets float on either side of a finely carved aureole which appears like a gathering of beaded garlands, naturally curved with the strands in rotation. A bronze figure of Shakyamuni from bihar, made in the early eleventh century, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (acc. 1987.142.319) bears a close resemblance to the present sculpture in terms of iconographic interpretation and the buddha’s physical proportions. The Sarnath-style diaphanous sanghati with a double hem and articulated undulations at either side as well as the bronze’s now-missing inlaid ornaments flanking the buddha’s head are patent stylistic similarities. The present sculpture is carved in the black igneous rock of Northeastern India typically used in Pala-period stone sculpture. A close comparison of crowned Shakyamuni in a lighter gray basalt, featuring a cylindrical coronet with carved florette at the base of each crown petal, triangular floral elements on either side of the buddha’s head and billowing ribbons beneath them, can be found at The Indian Museum in Kolkata (acc. 6574). The Kolkata example, however, is seated in the earth-touching posture. This standing image of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni possesses an engaging quality that the seated image does not, as he displays the abhayamudra or ‘gesture of fearlessness’ with his left hand.

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illUsTRaTion To a RasiKaPRiYa seRies: KRisHna enTHRoned

Kangra, attributed to Purkhu, India Circa 1820 Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper Image: 25,7 cm x 17,2 cm Folio: 32,4 cm x 21,9 cm Provenance: Royal Mandi collection. Private English collection. Price on request

ObJeCt PReSented by:

Kapoor Galleries M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300 E.: info@kapoors.com W: www.kapoors.com

The present painting depicts a sakhi conveying a message to Krishna from Radha, mediating between the two on some matter of love. Krishna sits against an orange bolster cushion on a celadon green throne. He wears a vibrant saffron jama and is adorned in jewels–on his head is his signature peacock feather crown. In the background two lovebirds gaze at each other across the foliage which is interspersed with pointed cypresses–a symbol of Krishna’s passion for Radha. Storm clouds lined in gold descend on the scene, perhaps reflective of some turbulence forming between the fabled lovers. A line of black Braj Bhasa above reads “pat ini ko vachhan shri Krishna prati” (“conveying a message to Shri Krishna”), folio number ‘262’ in the upper left corner, the reverse with ‘10ll.’ The verso is inscribed with a verse from the Rasikapriya in alternating red and black script: Having loved her, why is it that you are involved with other women? Do not confuse brass with gold. Even if saraswati teaches a crow, it cannot sing as sweetly as a cuckoo. Those who like a mango cannot be satisfied with a tamarind. Do desist from your misdemeanours. 12.29 (translation by Dr. Harsha Dehejia)

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gilded and inlaid CHanTing fan fRom a senioR monK

Burma Circa 1920 The frame is of carved teak wood and the body of the fan is of lacquered woven bamboo strips Width: 37 cm Height: 45 cm Weight: 1,336 g Provenance: Private UK collection Price: 2.900 euros

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Farah Massart M.: +32 495 289 100 E.: art@famarte.be W: www.famarte.com

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This large fan from Burma is gilded and inlaid with glass backed with a foil of silver, in green and blue color. The shape is inspired by the simple palmleaf fans afforded to novice and less senior monks. This is a ceremonial fan used by a senior monk while chanting or reciting prayers from memory during temple and monastic ceremonies. The fan was used to shield the face of the monk so that he could fully concentrate on reciting the chants. Similar fans used in Thailand tended to have a straight handle and were held upright. This type from Burma has a thick wavy handle to allow the weight of the fan to be held by the monk’s thigh.