June catalogue: Asian Art Society

JUNE iss UE

WHo WE aRE

The Asian Art Society features an online catalogue every month listing quality works of Asian art that have been thoroughly vetted by our select members, who are the in-house experts.

By bringing together a group of trusted dealers specializing in Asian art, our platform offers a unique collection of works of art that collectors will not find anywhere else online. To ensure the highest standards, gallery membership is by invitation only and determined by a selection committee of influential gallerists

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Cover image: An eight-fold paper screen presented by Gregg Baker Asian Art on p.66

Tabl E of Co NTENT s

FR ien DS 4

C atalO gue

JAPAN 20 SOUTH-ASIA 70 TIBET 78 CHINA 82 INDIA 88 GANDHARA 120 TURKEY 124

FRIENDS

Kitsune -fox priestnetsuke 19th century Signed Wakyosai.

We are proud to announce our alliance with several other associations to promote Asian Arts.

In the forthcoming months you will discover in our catalogues their presentation and their program. A new section on our website will be soon updated with all our partners.

This month:

LA SOCIÉTÉ DES AMIS DU MUSÉE CERNUSCHI

7 avenue Vélasquez – F – 75008 Paris T.: 01 53 96 21 50

E. : amismuseecernuschi@gmail.com W.: www.amis-musee-cernuschi.org

The Société des Amis du Musée Cernuschi (SAMC) was founded in 1922 by the museum’s first director, Henri d’Ardenne de Tizac.The Society of Friends of the Cernuschi Museum seeks to enrich the museum’s collections and participate to its development. Its gift in 1926 of a large low relief from the Later (Eastern) Han (AD 25-220) was the first in a long uninterrupted series to this day.

Members of the SAMC are lovers and collectors of the Asian arts. They gather for lectures, tours, cultural trips, meeting with artists, and an annual dinner party. They wish to celebrate the association’s birthday by purchasing a masterpiece which will be offered to the Cernuschi Museum and be part of the collection. All of them are an active support of the museum by contributing to enriching its collection with ancient and modern works, by participating in its development and demonstration of the fast evolution of Asian art’s perception today.

Registered as an institution in the public interest since September 1986, the association can offer a tax rebate for all gifts of money including the annual membership fees.

U.S.-based donors can support the association’s activities through a contribution to the American Friends of the Musée Cernuschi at the King Baudouin Foundation (KBFUS), which is a U.S. public charity, within the meaning of Sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Donors may be eligible for a U.S. income tax deduction to the extent permitted by U.S.tax law for their contributions.

https://kbfus.networkforgood.com/projects/53579-skbfus-funds-societe-des-amis-du-musee-cernuschi-fr

In order to make a contribution to the « American Friends of the Musée Cernuschi at KBFUS, here is how to proceed :

- Gifts by credit card : Go to WEBLINK WILL BE PROVIDED UPON OPENING OF THE FUND

- Gifts by wire transfer : Contact KBFUS email : info@kbfus.org - Phone (212)713 7660

- Gifts by check : write your cheque to KBFUS and write « American Friends of the Musée Cernuschi in the memo section of the check and send it to KBFUS, 10 Rockefeller Plaza, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10020

100 years of acquisitions

MUsÉE CERNUsCHi

li NTE l

Between 25 et 220 Stone Architectural element, Relief M.C. 6862

DOn atiOn FROM : SOCiÉtÉ DeS aMiS Du MuSÉe CeRnuSCHi 7 avenue Vélasquez – F – 75008 Paris T.: 01 53 96 21 50 E. : amismuseecernuschi@gmail.com W.: www.amis-musee-cernuschi.org

This impressive bas-relief was the first object donated by the Societé des Amis du Musée Cernuschi, founded in 1922. Given its size and shape, it was probably a lintel over two twin doors, separating the inside of a tomb into two chambers. Its decoration pertains to Taoist-inspired theories of the late Han period.

The frieze pictures a “bird-man” (yuren) Immortal figure, perhaps an exorcist (fangxiangshi) in disguise, who performed rituals to secure a soul’s safe passage to the afterlife, and various fabulous winged creatures. This fantastical bestiary includes several felines and dragons, a bear and a deer, animals that acted as psychopomps. This composition has similarities with the painted frieze in the tomb of Bu Qianqiu in Luoyang dating from the late Western Han period (226 BC-AD 9), which describes the ascent of the soul (hun) of the deceased to the heavens.

The Cernuschi Museum lintel, executed in a style that dates it to the last decades of the Han dynasty, has a liveliness and sense of movement about it that is also found in the reliefs of the Han tombs in Nanyang (Henan), a major economic centre in the Eastern Han period (25-220). In its execution, dancing line of animals and frieze of motifs in the upper band, the Paris lintel is also comparable to pieces found in Yongcheng and kept in the Henan Museum, Zhengzhou. Despite the large number of decorated Han tombs in Henan and Shandong,it is impossible to establish an approximate or even hypothetical provenance for the Cernuschi Museum lintel on solely stylistic grounds.

Reference(s) : Gilles Béguin, Arts de l’Asie au Musée Cernuschi, Paris-Musées / Findakly, 2000, p.84-85.

100 years of acquisitions

MUsÉE CERNUsCHi

pillo W

Zhang family

Between 1115 et 1234 Stoneware, Molding, Engobe and glaze

On the reverse, three characters engraved with the seal: "Zhang kia tsao" 張 M.C. 9241

This octagonal pillow in light beige stoneware is made of a quite rough clay containing visible brown particles. This rustic material, typically used for commonplace items in daily use, required the application of a cream-coloured engobe to mask imperfections and serve as a ground for the design, painted in brown engobe under a transparent glaze. This technique characterising the largest group of Cizhou stoneware appears to have emerged in the 12th century after the fall of the Northern Song (1127). The base left unglazed bears the mark Zhang jia zao (“made by the Zhang family”) inside a rectangular cartouche. A small hole made at the back enabled the air to escape during firing. Octangular pillows can be divided into two types. In one of them, the top part leaning to the front extends slightly over the sides; in the other it does not. The Cernuschi Museum pillow has all the characteristics of the former. The decorative motif adorning the top of the pillow is bordered by a double line, thick on the outer edge and thin on the inside. The sides of the pillow are painted with a very free swirling plant motif. Fragments of pillows with a similar border have been excavated at the Dong’aikou kiln. The bird is the most common motif on this type of pillow. There is a comparable specimen at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Mino, 1980, pp. 116-117, pl. 46); it also carries the mark Zhang jia zhen (“pillow of the Zhang family”), indicating that it was produced by the same workshop as the Cernuschi Museum piece. The magpie is an auspicious bird in China, which is why it was often chosen as a decorative motif. The theme itself echoes the bird-and-flower painting favoured by Huizong (1100-1125), the last emperor of the Northern Song, and this type of composition would have been disseminated through woodblock prints, still a flourishing medium. It is found on several pillows from Yuxian in Henan and from Changzhi in Shanxi with a base in the form of a tiger. One of them, in the Shanghai Museum, is dated to the second year of the Dading period of the Jin dynasty, that is, 1162 (Shanghai bowuguan, 1996, cat. 30).

Reference(s) : Li, Huibing, « Cizhou yao yizhi diao » (Reconnaissance des sites de fours de Cizhou), Wenwu, n°8, 1964, p. 37-48, p. 56 Mino, Yutaka, Freedom of clay and brush through seven centuries in Northern China: Tz’u-chou type wares 960-1600 A.D., Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1980 Zhongguo gudai taoci guan (Ancient Chinese ceramic gallery), 1996, Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe

100 years of acquisitions

MUsÉE CERNUsCHi

b E a R

Between -206 and 220 Bronze and gilding M.C. 2011-1

DOn atiOn FROM : SOCiÉtÉ DeS aMiS Du MuSÉe CeRnuSCHi, FOnDatiOn antOni lauRent 7 avenue Vélasquez – F – 75008 Paris T.: 01 53 96 21 50 E. : amismuseecernuschi@gmail.com W.: www.amis-musee-cernuschi.org

In Chinese, the word “bear” (xiong) is, with a change of tone, a homonym of the word for “heroic” or “powerful”. This, with the animal’s shape and size, meant that special powers were attributed to bears in the Han period. Chiyou, a god of war, had a bear’s head. In the time of the First Emperor (221-210 BC), bears lived in the wild in the imperial parks, “supreme forests” (shanglin) that were designed as microcosms. The bear was also associated with immortality. Its sudden appearance in iconography appears to correspond with the reign of Wudi (r. 140-87 BC) and may relate to the emperor’s interest in the quest for immortality. The bear is therefore a frequent theme in Han dynasty iconography. Bronze supporting structures and weights in the shape of a bear have been found. Bears feature among animals in depictions of the Isles of the Immortals (or Blessed) (in lei-type vessels or incense burners) and on stone reliefs, for example in the famous Wu family shrine in Shandong.

Reference(s) : Eric Lefebvre, Activités du musée Cernuschi, Arts asiatiques, 2012, t .67, p.113.

100 years of acquisitions

MUsÉE CERNUsCHi

C alli GR ap HY (fa N)

Wen, Zhengming 文徵明, born in 1470 in Jiangsu, deceased in 1559 Dated 206 Paper and ink 徵明; 文徵明印; 徵仲 M.C. 2006-75 DOn atiOn FROM : SOCiÉtÉ DeS aMiS Du MuSÉe CeRnuSCHi 7 avenue Vélasquez – F – 75008 Paris T.: 01 53 96 21 50 E. : amismuseecernuschi@gmail.com W.: www.amis-musee-cernuschi.org

Inscription:

In a vivid emulation of red and purple, spring suddenly appears. I remember the indecision of its beginnings. Is it the end of the rains that spurs such opulence? The wind has not yet dropped, fragrances abound. A wakening beauty tries in vain to rise above the screen, While a butterfly dances over the wall, My soul filled with a pure love soars ten thousand li up in the sky At the water’s edge, when night falls, I will have to check my heart’s desire. Zhengming.

Wen Zhengming is a major figure of calligraphy and painting in the Ming period. A native of Suzhou, where he lived almost all his life, Wen Zhengming would contribute to the renown of the Wu school, along with Shen Zhou (1427-1509), Zhu Yunming and Tang Yin. Despite failing the examinations, his many gifts won him the recognition of the cultural elite of his time. In the course of his long life, Wen Zhengming was only required to occupy official functions once, on a posting that took him to Beijing where he worked as a compiler at the Hanlin Academy from 1523 to 1526. Numerous masterpieces dating from his old age reflect the intense work of his latter years. Through the intermediary of family members, such Wen Jia (1501-1583) and Wen Boren, (1502-1575), and of painters from his circle of followers, his influence spread considerably, forging a certain ideal of scholarly painting. The fan features a composition of eight heptametric verses, illustrating the talent of the poet as well as the elegance of the calligrapher. The text was published in a collection of Wen Zhengming’s poetry, Futian ji, with a series of pieces dedicated to his master Shen Zhou. The influence of Shen Zhou on Wen Zhengming would manifest itself primarily in painting. Where calligraphy was concerned, he trained with Li Yingzhen (1431-1493). He would have been familiar with the calligraphy of his contemporary Zhu Yunming. Like the latter, Wen Zhengming did not limit himself to a single preferred style. On the contrary, he exercised his mastery in the principal script types, as illustrated in his Thousand Character Essay, in the four styles, today in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. He was particularly renowned

for his “regular script” calligraphy, cursive and semicursive, in large and small characters. The poem about spring attests to the contained virtuosity that characterises the semi-cursive writing of Wen Zhengming in his mature years.

Reference(s) : Lefebvre, Eric, "Activités du Musée Cernuschi", Arts Asiatiques, 2007, p.132-136

Reubi, François, Le Pinceau des Lettrés, peintures chinoises de la collection du professeur François Reubi, Genève, Collection des arts d'Extrême-Orient, Collections Baur n°56, automne-hiver 1993, p.7-5

JUNE a RT W o RK s

Pieces are published and changed each month. The objects are presented with a full description and corresponding dealer’s contact information. Unlike auction sites or other platforms, we empower collectors to interact directly with the member dealers for enquiries and purchases by clicking on the e-mail adress.

In order to guarantee the quality of pieces available in the catalogues, objects are systematically validated by all our select members, who are the in-house experts.. Collectors are therefore encouraged to decide and buy with complete confidence. In addition to this, the Asian Art Society proposes a seven-day full money back return policy should the buyer not feel totally satisfied with a purchase.

Items are presented by categories, please check the table of contents. Feel free to ask the price if the artwork is listed with a price on request.

01fU ll sU i T of Japa NE s E aRM o UR

Japan

Edo period 17th century

Iron, lacquer, silk, wood, gold Provenance: Private collection Japan Exhibition: Mononofu Katchu. Mayfair London. 14th-15th May 2022 Price: 27.000 GBP

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: David Thatcher M.: + 44 (0) 7971955214 E.: davidt@davidthatcher.co.uk W: www.davidthatcher.co.uk

An iron black lacquered 52 plate Kabuto (helmet) bearing the signature of Neo Masanobu of the Neo school. Features a black lacquered large three lame manju-jikoro (neck guard) laced in silk in the sugake style. Inner leather ukebari (liner) with fine hemp roped shinobi-no-o (helmet cord). Maedate (frontal crest device) of a sachi (dragon fish) with a giled copper kuwagata (stylized antlers). A black ressei iron lacquered Menpo (face mask) with a yak hair hige (moustache) connected to a gilded three lame suga (throat guard) laced in the sugake style. This armour features a very large fully matched Nodowa (secondary throat guard. The Dō (body) has a lacquered iron go-mai (five-section) construction in the mogami (horizontal) style. The Gessen (skirt) is made of seven sections of black lacquered lames and is laced in the sugake style.

Ko-Gusoku (other parts) gilded medium size Chu- Sode (arm guards) of seven lames laced in the sugake style. The Kote and Haidate are of the shino style, the haidate being constructed of iyozane scales. Five lame Etchu-Shino-suneate (thigh guards) with kikko-gane (hexagonal knee guard). Supplied with a Yoroi-tate (armour display stand) and Yoroi-bitsu (armour travel storage box).

Neo School: A group of armourers with little documentation but known to be based in Nara between the Momoyama and Tokugawa periods. Neo Masanobu was their best-known smith, being held in high regard for his 120 plate kabuto. Neo Masanobu (根尾正信), mid-Edo period, lived in Nara and in Kyôto.

At the time Neo referred to the famous Neo valley of Mino province with the Ibukiyama (伊吹山) mountain range to the east where iron was extracted. Thus it was only natural that casters and smiths settled there and it is thought that Neo Masanobu was one of them.

02ŌTAGAKI RENGETSU

(1791-1875)

Butterfly Painting and Poem Japan

Late Edo period

1860s

Ink on paper, with plain wooden box 107,5 cm (h)x 45,5 cm (w) #19.037 Price on request

Ōtagaki Rengetsu is possibly the most famous female artist of the 19th Century in Japan, especially known for her excellent skills in calligraphy and pottery. She was born as illegitimate daughter of a samurai from the Tōdō family. Soon after her birth, she was adopted by Ōtagaki Mitsuhasa who worked at Chion’in, an important Jōdo (Pure Land) school temple in Kyōto. In 1798, having lost her mother and brother, she was sent to serve as a lady-in-waiting at Kameoka castle in Tanba where she was taught classical poetry, calligraphy and martial arts.

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Galerie Kommoss

M.:+49 177 6033 201

E.: info@galeriekommoss.com W: www.galeriekommoss.com

With only 33 years, she already went through some fateful years of her life with the loss of two husbands and all her five children. After that, she decided to shave her hair and take Buddhist vows, adopting the name Rengetsu (Lotus Moon). In that time, she lived together with her stepfather near Chion’in temple. After his death in 1832, Rengetsu began to make her extraordinary pottery which she usually inscribed with her own waka (31-syllable classical poetry) and sold to support herself. With her unique combination of pottery, calligraphy and poetry, Rengetsu gained large recognition during her lifetime far beyond the borders of Kyōto. In this work, Rengetsu painted a small butterfly and wrote an elegant yet meaningful poem next to it:

Fluttering In a field of flowers and dew

Her poem and the motif of a butterfly is alluding to the existential thinking of the Chinese Daoist sage Zhuangzi, who is said to raise the question: "Am I a man who

just dreamed he was a butterfly or a butterfly now dreaming he is a man?" Also in Japan, the motif of a butterfly is a symbol for beauty and the impermanence of life, it seems just natural that Rengetsu favored to paint it, especially in her last decade of life.

There are several known versions of this painting. One from a private collection in Zurich has been published in the catalog "Black Robe, White Mist: Art of the Japanese Buddhist Nun Rengetsu" by the National Gallery of Australia on page 79. That painting was dated to 1840s - 50s. A later version of a butterfly painting is in possession of the LA County Museum of Art. The LA version was made in year 1869 – according to the given age under Rengetsu’s signature.

References:

– Black Robe, White Mist: Art of the Japanese Buddhist Nun Rengetsu, National Gallery of Australia (2007), p. 79.

– Goodall, Hollis; Singer, Robert T.: Art of Asia Acquired by North American Museums, 2014-2015, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Archives of Asian Art 66, no.2 (2016), p. 284.

– Singer, Robert T.; Masatomo, Kawai (ed.): The Life of Animals in Japanese Art, Washington D.C.: National Gallery of Art (2019).

Collections: Tokyo National Museum, Metropolitan Museum, Harvard Art Museum, National Gallery of Australia, Miho Museum, LACMA Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and many more...

03Ō TAGAKI

R ENGET s U (1791-1875)

Eggplant Painting and Poem Japan

Late Edo period 1840-50s

Ink on paper, with plain wooden box 121,5 cm (h) x 46 cm (w) Inv. No. #21.010 Price on request

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Galerie Kommoss M.:+49 177 6033 201

E.: info@galeriekommoss.com W: www.galeriekommoss.com

In this delicate and minimalistic artwork, the famous nun artist and poet Ōtagaki Rengetsu is presenting one of her most famous poems: the so-called eggplant poem. Despite her personal tragic life, with the loss of two husbands and all her children, the work exemplifies the subtle humor Rengetsu was able to maintain for herself as a Buddhist nun. In her poem, she links the image of two ripe eggplants with the Buddhist conception of a fulfilled and happy life. The poetic inscription in her fluent and elegant handwriting reads:

世の中に みのなりいでゝ おもふこと なすはめでたき ためし也けり

To rise in the world and achieve what one desires, therefore, eggplants are indeed a fortunate example.

Next to the poem, Rengetsu painted two Japanese eggplants in ink wash. The vegetables hint to the double meaning of the word ’nasu’ in the poem. Written only in phonetic hiragana syllables, the word could be understood as ’eggplant’ (茄子 or 茄) or in its meaning as a verb ’to achieve’ or ’to accomplish’ (なす or 成す).

Different versions of this painting and a discussion of the poem by Chiaki Ajioka have been published in: Black Robe, White Mist. Art of the Japanese Buddhist Nun Rengetsu, exhibition catalog, National Gallery of Australia (2007). Galerie Kommoss is also offering a hand-modeled lidded jar incised with the same poem (Inv. No. 19.033; see also Asian Art Society’s catalog No. XVIII, 03/2022).

04b iz EN M iz U sas H i C all E d

“

Himogas H ira" (s WEET poTaTo HE ad)

Bizen-ware Edo period 18th-19th century Awasebako (collector's storage box) dated Meiji 35 (1902) Price: 3.400 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by:

Galerie Mingei

M.: + 33 (0)6 09 76 60 68

E.: mingei.arts.gallery@gmail.com W: www.mingei.gallery

Bizen ware or Bizen-yaki (備前焼) is considered one of the Six Ancient Kilns (Rokkoyō) by the scholar Koyama Fujio (1900-1975). It experienced its peak during the Momoyama period of the 16th century. During the Edo period, the Ikeda lords of the Okayama domain continued to support the kilns and gave special privileges to families who operated them. The rustic quality of Bizen made it popular for use in the tea ceremony.

Bizen is characterized by significant hardness due to high temperature firing; its earthen-like, reddish-brown color; absence of glaze, although it may contain traces of molten ash resembling glaze; and markings resulting from wood-burning kiln firing. Because of the clay composition, Bizen wares are fired slowly over a long period of time. Firings take place only once or twice a year, with the firing period lasting for 10–14 days. Red pine is used for firewood because the resin it contains helps to produce a high temperature fire. Thousands of logs might be used in a single firing. The finish is determined by how the potter controls the fire

Most of the firing takes place in traditional climbing kilns with various chambers called noborigama, or in a tunnel kiln called anagama. The vessels are stacked and the flames flow through the stacks and around the individual vessels. During the course of the firing, the vessels can change colour from black to grey.

05sH io K a W a bUNR i N (1808-1877)

Hotaru (fireflies) Hanging scroll

Signed: Kachiku rōjin Shio Bunrin (Shiokawa) Bunrin, old man Kachiku) and seal: Bunrin Japan

Edo/Meiji period 19th century

Ink and colour on silk Scroll: 170,5 cm (h) x 32 cm (w) Painting: 95 cm (h) x 30 cm (w) Price: 6.000 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by:

Gregg Baker Asian Art

M.: + 44 (0) 20 7221 3533

E.: info@japanesescreens.com

W: www.japanesescreens.com

A silk kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink and colour with hotaru (fireflies) flying over the water’s surface at dusk on a summer evening.

Shiokawa Bunrin (1808-1877). Also known as Zusho. Gō (art names): Chikusai, Kachikusai, Kibutsuan, Kibutsu Dōjin, Kibutsu Koji, Sensei, Tōsai, Unshō.

Bunrin lived in Kyoto, and studied under Okamoto Toyohiko (1773-1845), a leading Shijō School artist. He served as painter in attendance to the Yasui family for much of his career, and had many patrons among the £Kyoto aristocracy. Bunrin learned nanga (southern style) painting, and was also influenced by Western style painting. He founded the Jounsha art society in 1866 which served as an important source of support for Kyoto artists of all schools during the difficult period of transition of the Meiji Restoration.

Hotaru (fireflies) appear regularly in Bunrin’s work, and there are a series of paintings similar to the one here with fireflies over water which were produced by the Kyoto Shijō School at this time, perhaps the response to a large commission.

One possible inspiration for this painting could be an episode in chapter 45 of the Tales of Ise, ‘iku hotaru’ (‘fireflies in flight’). In this episode, a man has just been told that the woman who loved him has died without confessing her love. That evening as the fireflies come out, he sits and mourns.

A hanging scroll by the artist with a similar subject matter can be found in the collection of the British Museum, ‘Fireflies’ by Shiokawa Bunrin, ca. 1875.

A pair of folding screens by the artist with a similar subject matter can be found in the collection of the Nelson-Atkins Gallery, Kansas City, dated 1875. Works by the artist are also held in the collections of: The Ashmolean, Oxford; Freer Gallery of Art, Washington; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Tokyo National Museum; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

06Ma E da

C H i KU bosai i (1876-1950)

Kake-hanakago [Hanging flower basket]

Signed Chikubosai Madake bamboo Tomobako

Hakogaki Koki 2604-nen, haru no hi, Koyo Kuse no sato, Chikubosai (This is made on a spring day in Showa 19 (1944), to celebrate the 2604th Imperial Year, Chikubōsai, in the village of Kuse where the Imperial Sun shines) 14,5 x 14 x 24 (h) cm

Price on request

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by:

Galerie Mingei

M.: + 33 (0)6 09 76 60 68

E.: mingei.arts.gallery@gmail.com

W: www.mingei.gallery

Chikubōsai I was born in Kuse village, Hirai, Sakai City, Okasa. The village name Kuse literally means “Eternal generations”

Maeda Chikubōsai I was one of the most important bamboo artists working in the first half of the 20th century.

Late in the Taishō era (1912-1926), he made presentation baskets on behalf of the Imperial Household, for which he became famous..

Chikubōsai held a series of one-man exhibitions at the Mitsukoshi Department Store in Tokyo from 1926 until the late 1930s.

He was pivotal in promoting individual expression in the bamboo arts.

07sM all N obo R i W i TH d a RUM a dolls

Japan Edo Period

19th century

Cotton 160 cm (h) x 33 cm (w) Stock n°: 7980 Price: 800 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Galerie Mingei

M.: + 33 (0)6 09 76 60 68

E.: mingei.arts.gallery@gmail.com W: www.mingei.gallery

Noboris are Japanese banners. They are long, narrow flags, tied to a pole with a counter-stem to keep the fabric straight. Originally, they were used to identify army units during the Sengoku period (1477-1573), known as the Warring Kingdoms period. However, later, noboris were used for commercial and religious purposes. The banner below is made of cotton and decorated by hand with the tsutsugaki technique. Once the designs were sketched with resist paste, the polychrome dyes were brushed onto the cloth.

08a Ro CK C RYs Tal s p HERE o N a s ilv ER dR a G o N

Signed: Gyokuryuken Sanmi Japan

Meiji Period

Late 19th century Height: 16,8 cm Provenance: Christie’s New York, 16 March 2021, lot 37. Price on request

This sculpture consists of a crystal sphere set on a finely cast and chiseled silver coiled dragon with an incised signature on the underside. The eyes are inlaid in shakudo, and the dragon’s eyes, teeth, and claws are embellished with guilt. The piece comes with a certificate from the Gemological Institute of America stating that the sphere is rock crystal

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Kapoor Galleries

M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E.: info@kapoors.com W: www.kapoors.com

09KUJ i R i K iz ETo

To KKUR i

Sake bottle

Ceramics from Seto (Mino region)

Edo period

17th – 18th century

19 (h) x 9, 4 x 9, 4cm

Price on request Awasebako

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Galerie Mingei

M.: + 33 (0)6 09 76 60 68

E.: mingei.arts.gallery@gmail.com W: www.mingei.gallery

The Kujiri kiln in the Mino region was active between the end of the 16th century and the 18th century. Ki Seto ware, yellow-toned ceramic ware made from fine, white clay covered with iron-ash glazes in the Mino area in central Honshu, Japan, from the late Muromachi period (1338–1573) onward. Ki Seto (“Yellow Seto”) is divided into two main types: a glossy chartreuse yellow (guinomi-de, or kikuzara-de), fired at a relatively high temperature, and a soft dull-glazed pure yellow (ayame-de, or aburage-de), fired at low heat.

The fine Ki Seto wares of the late Muromachi period are believed to have been produced at such kiln sites as Kujiri, Gotomaki, Jorinji, and Akasaba, where tenmoku glazed bowls were also produced. Later, in the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1574–1600), the intensity of Ki Seto’s yellow deepened, achieving the great warmth of tone for which it is known. In addition to tea utensils, various types of plates, bowls, and flower vases were made. A type of decorated ware known as tampan was especially popular with tea cult devotees. Tampan was painted with pictorial designs executed in a pale-green copper glaze.

A gilt bronze suiteki (water dropper) and hikka (brush stand) in the form of a fish, on a wood base

a suiteki

10a

N d H ikka i N THE fo RM of a fis H

China

Ming dynasty

17th century

Gilt bronze, wood base

5,5 cm x 10,5 cm x 5 cm Price: 4.500 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by:

Gregg Baker Asian Art

M.: + 44 (0) 20 7221 3533 E.: info@japanesescreens.com W: www.japanesescreens.com

A Japanese awasebako (fitted wood box) inscribed: Koi kata hikka (brush stand in the form of carp)

11iGa Miz U sas H i

Japan

Earley Edo period (1603-1868) Height: 13 cm Diam.: 16 cm

Price on request

SOLD

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Kitsune gallery

M.: + 32 476 87 85 69

E.: arie.vos@kitsune.be W: www.kitsunegaroo.com

An Iga yaki mizusashi (water jar for the tea ceremony produced at Iga, a small castle town in the mountains of Mie prefecture (central Japan). Iga is well known as a producer of tea ceremony wares. The mizusashi illustrated here dates back to the early Edo-period (1603-1868) – the golden age. It epitomises the Japanese aesthetic of “wabi sabi” with its rustic appearance.

This 19th century Japanese Tamba school boxwood netsuke in the form of a monkey emerging from a chestnut is carved in the manner of Toyomasa. The monkey has inlaid eyes. One of the himotoshi (cordrunner holes) is at the back and one underneath (of larger size).

N ET s UKE

CHE s TNUT W i TH M o NKEY

Japan

19th century Carved chestnut Height: 3 cm Price on request

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Kitsune gallery

M.: + 32 476 87 85 69

E.: arie.vos@kitsune.be W: www.kitsunegaroo.com

13Ya M aTo Yas U o

(b. 1933)

Hagi Incense Case in Shape of an Eggplant Japan 20th century

Glazed stoneware, comes with inscribed, signed and sealed wooden box.

4,5 cm (h) x 8 cm (w) x 4,8 cm (Diam) Inv. No. #A.47 Price: 600 euros

Yamato is one of the most famous names in Japanese Hagi pottery and Yasuo is acknowledged to be one of the best working in this style. Yasuo was awarded many prizes throughout his career. Even now, approaching a high age, he is still working at the same location, where he used to play with clay from his earliest childhood years. The here presented work is a kōgō, a lidded container originally created for holding pieces of fragrant wood for the Japanese tea ceremony. The container can serve many other purposes as well.

Yasuo used the typical Hagi-style red-colored, rough clay, which is covered with a thick, milky and partly greenish glaze. The kōgō is shaped in a simple yet striking and creative form of an eggplant. In Japanese culture the eggplant is a popular summer dish and regarded as a lucky symbol since the ripe fruits exemplify prosperity. Also, the Japanese name for eggplant, nasu, bears a double meaning: Written with Chinese characters ( or ), the word refers to the vegetable itself. However, written in a different way (なす or 成す), the word can be understood as a verb, meaning ’to achieve’ or ’to accomplish’

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Galerie Kommoss M.:+49 177 6033 201

E.: info@galeriekommoss.com W: www.galeriekommoss.com

N ET s UKE sENN i N

Japan

18th century Carved wood Height: 7,5 cm Price on request

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Kitsune gallery M.: + 32 476 87 85 69

E.: arie.vos@kitsune.be W: www.kitsunegaroo.com

A Japanese 18th century netsuke study of a sennin (Chinese immortal) delicately carved in wood. The sennin is dressed in a traditional Yomogi hermit garment partly made of leaves, tied to the back with a rope. He is bearing a basket filled with biwa fruit. We found an illustration from the Ressen Dzu San depicting a sennin with a plate full of fruit (biwa?) and goes by the name of “Shyuchu”. This netsuke is in excellent condition, one of the himotoshi is naturally formed through the fold of his robe.

15f lo WER s a N d tanzaku (po EM slips)

Each poem slip signed as Kageki

An eight-fold screen Japan Edo period 18th/19th century Ink, colour and gold leaf on paper 119,5 cm x 405 cm Price: 35.000 euros

An eight-fold paper screen depicting various flowers of the four seasons with tanzaku (poem slips) by Kagawa Kageki (1768-1843)

The flowers and grasses on the screen include: yamabuki (kerria), tanpopo (dandelions), sakuraso (Japanese primrose), sumire (violet), utsugi (deutzias), botan (peonies), kakitsubata (irises), nadeshiko (pinks), ajisai (hydrangea), keshi (poppies), kikyo (Chinese bellflower), hagi (bush clover), ominaeshi (patrinia), kiku (chrysanthemums), fuyo (cotton rosemallow), fujibakama (fragrant eupatorium), susuki (Chinese silver grass), shion (aster), rindo (Japanese gentian), suisen (narcissus) and omoto (Japanese sacred lily).

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Gregg Baker Asian Art M.: + 44 (0) 20 7221 3533

E.: info@japanesescreens.com W: www.japanesescreens.com

Tanzaku are rectangular sheets of paper used for calligraphic poems or paintings. Since the mid-Heian and Kamakura periods, such papers, termed shikishigata, were inscribed with poetic calligraphy and attached to the upper portions of screens or sliding door panels. Their verses coordinated with the paintings to which they were affixed. Often these slips are highly decorated with mica or coloured patterns overlaid with gold or silver cut into small pieces or sprinkled like dust.

Kagawa Kageki (1768-1843) is a Japanese poet of tanka (Japanese short poems), active in late Edo period. He was born in Tottori prefecture and liked reading and calligraphy from an early age. At the age of 15 he is known to have completed the contemporary translation of Hyakunin isshu, a classical Japanese anthology of one hundred poets compiled by Fujiwara no Teika (11621241), At 26, he moved to Kyoto and was adopted by the poet Kagawa Kagemoto (1745-1821). In Kyoto, he changed his name to Kageki and served the Tokudaiji Family, one of aristocratic families of the imperial court. He attended many aristocratic utakai (poetry reading gathering) where participants read tanka poetry on a common theme in front of an audience. Each poem slip on this screen has a theme at the top of the sheet and it is possible that these poems were read at one such poetry meeting.

16WiNE boTTlE WiTH pEoNY aNd bUTTERflY

Korea

Joseon dynasty

19th century

Porcelain with cobalt blue painting

26 cm (h) x 16 cm (Diam.)

Inv. No. #18.014

Price on request

Very elegant, 19th-century pear-shaped porcelain wine bottle with cobalt blue underglaze painting of a peony and a butterfly.

In Korea’s traditional culture flowers and butterflies have been among the most popular subjects. The peony – the "king of flowers" – and the butterfly are regarded as a symbol of prosperity and a state of contentment. Beyond that, as a pair they are symbolizing the harmony between husband and wife and therefor a symbol for the strong bond of the family unit.

Of compressed globular form, resting on a short circular foot with tapering, cylindrical neck, the vessel also applied with a blue-tinged very soft clear glaze that feels like a very soft, polished eggshell. The bottle’s clean silhouette and its simple yet subtle design of the underglaze painting are reflecting the essence of the Joseon porcelain’s beauty of a Neo-Confucianinfluenced, restrained elegance.

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by:

Galerie Kommoss

M.:+49 177 6033 201

E.: info@galeriekommoss.com W: www.galeriekommoss.com

A cast gold ring with oval bezel and tapering shank of round cross -section with three undeciphered letters or symbols, in kawa script sometimes said to signify “Sri-deva” under which passes a stroke rising to a curl, symbolic of wealth, munificence and fertility

a

G

old R

i NG Central Java, Indonesia

8-9th century Size: US5 Weight: 32 gr Price: 6.000 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Sue Ollemans

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

A charming gold bead necklace made from miniscule solid gold beads each one different in design.

a G old NECK la CE

Burma

Pyu Dynasty

8th century Length: 55 cm Weight : 35 gr Provenance: Private German collection Price: 4.500 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Sue Ollemans

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

26Ma H a K ala sH adb HUJa

Tibet 17th century Bronze with polychrome 15 cm

HAR item no. 35867

Provenance: Toronto Collection, with Spink and Son, c. 1995. Acquired by the current owner from a public sale, Toronto, 10 June 2013. Christie’s, New York, 14 March 2017, Lot 209.

Price: 35.000 USD

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Kapoor Galleries

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

Mahakala is the primary Buddhist Dharmapala and is respected in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. In Sanskrit, Maha translates to “great” and Kala to “time/ death.” All names and colors are said to melt into Mahakala, symbolizing his all-encompassing nature and lustrous black skin. He is seen as the absolute reality. Shadbhuja, the six-armed Mahakala, is a favorite amongst the Gelukpa order of Tibetan Buddhism. Shadbhuja is recognized as the fierce, powerful, and wrathful embodiment of the Bodhisattva of compassion Avalokitesvara. In this elegantly cast piece, attention to fine detail is evident throughout the six-armed form. In the primary left hand is a skull cap (kapala) filled with minced remains of enemies to Dharma. In the primary right hand is a crescent shaped chopper (katrika) or curved knife, which fits to the shape of the skull cap so it can be utilized for making the “mincemeat.” The chopper is a representation of detachment from samsaric existence. Within the secondary right hand lies a damaru, an hourglass-shaped drum which arouses the mentally-clouded from their ignorant state, putting them back onto the path of Dharma. The sound which emanates from the damaruis supposed to be the same as that which manifested all of existence. A rosary of dried skulls adorns the uppermost right hand; this symbolizes the perpetual activity of Mahakala on a cosmic scale, as rings are inherently continuous.The secondary left hand holds a noose, whose function is to lasso those straying from the divine path of Dharma. The skin of an elephant is held taut across the back of Mahakala in his upper left hand, symbolizing the ability to overcome delusion.

Jad E

20b RU s HW as HER China

Song Dynasty (960-1279)

Length: 12,7 cm

Provenance: Private English collection Price on request

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Rasti Fine Art Ltd.

M.:+852 2415 1888

E.: gallery@rastifineart.com W: www.rastifineart.com

An unusual mottled grey and brown jade ‘boys’ brushwasher, of circular form on short foot, carved in relief to the exterior with five boys lying and standing on pierced rockwork clambering to the rim holding lotus branches and lingzhi sprays, the stone softly polished

The stone used for this washer with its deep tones and softness of polish, in conjuction with the style of the carving, particularly in the boys’ faces, indicates a Song date. An early Ming dynasty jade jar with boys can be seen in D'Argence, Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, p. 98, pl. XLII.

G REY Jad E CU p

China

Song/Early Ming Dynasty

10th-14th century

Height: 8,9 cm Cup diameter: 7 cm

Provenance: Private East Asian collection Private French collection Price on request

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Rasti Fine Art Ltd. M.:+852 2415 1888

E.: gallery@rastifineart.com W: www.rastifineart.com

A deep russet and mottled grey jade cylindrical cup, zhi, carved in relief with a confronting dragon and phoenix with coiled bodies and long geometric tails on a ground of C-scrolls beneath a band of key-frets to the rim of the neck, all above three lion-mask head feet, the boldly carved circular ring handle carved with a further lion head with bushy eyebrows and high raised geometric T-design ears, the softly polished stone leading from a deep-red russet gradually to a lighter russet to yellow-cream, and finally to a mottled grey.

The deliberate use of the extraordinary stone for this cup was to highlight the original archaic bronze shape. The high-quality carving, the stone and the polish indicate a strong possibility of a Song date. A grey jade cup dated to the 10th-14th century of similar design can be seen in D'Argence, Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, p. 86, pl. XXXVI.

22C H aUR i bE a RER

North India, Rajasthan 10th century Sandstone

Height: 102 cm / 40 inch (118 cm/ 46 inch with base)

Provenance : French private collection Prix : 35.000 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Christophe Hioco

M.: +33 (0) 1 53 30 09 65

E.: info@galeriehioco.com W: www.galeriehioco.com

A witness to artistic emulation in North India

The medieval period in North India was marked by a strong artistic emulation. Under the impetus of the Chandela rulers, a particular art developed, with rich and varied forms, particularly on the exterior of the temples, which often had a grandiose and highly decorative appearance. Wearing a high gold-plated tiara, this assistant is also adorned with bracelets and necklaces. These decorative elements contribute to the richness of the North Indian reliefs, and make this work a witness to the apogee of Chandela art. Depicted in a tribhanga pose, with a slight wiggle, this deity appears to be a celestial assistant to a more important god. He is holding a luxurious fly swatter, called a śauri, whose hair falls elegantly over his shoulder, and is wearing a short dhoti.

Chandela sculpture, the jewel of Indian art Placed in consoles and sculpted in high relief, the sculptures are truly one with the masonry of the temples. Like this deity, the statuary art of the Chandela dynasty is admired for the virtuosity of its treatment of the bodies and the way they are presented to the eye. The sculptures are of great aesthetic interest, marking a major development in Indian statuary. The most beautiful examples are found on the site of the ancient capital Chandela, Khajurâho, which has delivered numerous temples with a complex plan, whose extraordinary sculpted decoration makes them a masterpiece of Indian architecture.

An art between sensuality and idealisation

Like the Chandela statues of Khajurâho, this divinity is remarkable for its supple plasticity. This sculpture perfectly embodies the canon of the medieval period in North India, where the emphasis is placed on the suppleness of the plastic and the idealisation of the features. Her face is also characteristic, with large almond-shaped eyes under arched eyebrows, and full lips with a slight smile. Her voluptuous body gives her an androgynous appearance, characteristic of Chandela statuary.

sTU d Y W i TH po RTR ai T s a N d a N i M als

Kotah, Rajasthan

Early 19th century

Drawing with colour highlights Height: 21 cm Width 20,8 cm Provenance: Private French collection Price: 3.500 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Alexis Renard T.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02

E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com W: www.alexisrenard.com

This study presents eight delicate portraits of courtiers, with a few bright touches of colour. Some are shown full or half-length, while others are heads only. Also included are a horse and the profile of an elephant, and inscrip- tions in Devanagari are scattered around the page. This study provides an attractive record of the style used by the Kotah workshops of the time. A series of Kotah drawings and studies from the same period are held by the Harvard Art Museums https://harvardartmuseums.org/collections?q=Kota

iM po RTa NT RE li E f W i TH R E va NTa

Bihar, India Pala period 11th century

61 cm (l) x 43 cm (h)

Provenance: Private collection, Canada Marcel Nies, Antwerp, 2009-2014 Publication: The Future Buddha, the cultural heritage of Asia, Marcel Nies Oriental art, Antwerpen, 2009, p.30-31

Price on request

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by:

Farah Massart

M.:+32 495 289 100

E.: art@famarte.be W: www.famarte.com

This relief depicts Revanta hunting, seated on a horseback, preceded and followed by Danda and Pingala, marching in the same direction. He wears a dhoti and a girdle and has high boots similar to those of his father Surya. He is the youngest son of the Hindu sun god Surya and his wife Sanjna. He is a divine hunter and king of the Guhyakas. Revanta was a very popular figure in Bihar during the Pala period, several stone representations have been found. By the 10th Century in East India and Gujarat Revanta became the patron deity of horse traders, warriors and horses, and is thought to protect everyone against the dangers of the forest, which may explain his increasing popularity. This relief was probably placed in a niche on the external wall of a temple dedicated to the sun god Surya. This relief is sculpted with a lot of dynamism and action, the hunt is in progress. The figures and animals are distributed over different registers, this creates animation and a keen visual perception. The use of hard dark basalt is also typical of this period.

25lE af f Ro M THE bH a GavaTa pUR a Na dE pi CT i NG v is HNU a N d Ga RU da: T HE l ib ER aT io N of GaJEN d R a (GaJEN d R a Mo K s H a)

Bundi, India 18th century Gouache heightened with gold on paper 19,4 cm x 28,3 cm

Provenance: Collection of the Marquess of Tweeddale.

Private New York collection, acquired in the 1990’s. Price: 28.000 USD

Amidst a rippling current, Vishnu rescues the king of elephants Gajendra from a crocodile makara. Gajendra had gone to bathe in a lotus-filled lake when the makara caught the elephant, dragging him down into the water. The elephant struggled against the crocodile with all of his strength, but with each attempt to escape the crocodile’s grip tightened. In a final effort to thwart his demise, Gajendra cried out for Vishnu to save him, grabbing a lotus in his trunk to offer to the god. Vishnu heard the elephant’s pleas and appeared alongside Garuda, vanquishing the makara crocodile demon and granting moksha to Gajendra for putting his faith in Vishnu as savior.

In the first quarter of the 18th century, Krishna became the prime subject of painting over court scenes and portraits of rulers. Towards the later part of the century, stylistic elements from the Mughal court were likely adopted through the settlement of artists from Delhi or Lucknow in Bundi, or through the implementation of Mughal aesthetics by Bundi artists. Regardless of the motivation, Bundi painting transformed during the 1700s from a heavily Rajput style to one that paid respect to the Mughal archetype while still maintaining its unique flair. The present image is representative of an earlier work, celebrating the divinity and power of Vishnu through the Gajendra Moksha narrative. The scene is meant to convey feelings of surrender and trust, essential components in the devotee’s relationship with god.

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by:

Kapoor Galleries

M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E.: info@kapoors.com

W: www.kapoors.com

26Kof TGa R i Tal W a R

Rajasthan, India

17th–18th century

Length: 95,5 cm (sword), 95,9 cm (in scabbard)

Provenance: Dr. Leo S. Figiel collection (1918–2013) Butterfield & Butterfield, San Francisco, 24 August 1998 Publication: Leo S. Figiel, M.D., On Damascus Steel, New York, 1991, pp.100-1, no. IS5. Price: 25.000 USD

The present sword’s hilt-form—with centrally swollen grip, rectangular langets, and near-flattened quillons—is often referred to as the Jodhpur style, popularized during the reign of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. In a tribute to the sun god Surya, from whom many Rajputs claim descent, the disc pommel is engraved with a sunburst design. The remaining hilt surface is embellished with foliate koftgari designs, an Indian damascening technique that involves inlaying steel with gold.

The talwar’s wootz steel blade features an enlarged tip and two fullers along the flat edge running partway down the sword. In the center of the blade near the hilt is a stamped maker’s mark consisting of dots, textured lines, and star designs. See a similar goldembellished Jodhpur-style talwar with protruding point in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum (acc. As1997,30.9.a).

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Kapoor Galleries

M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E.: info@kapoors.com W: www.kapoors.com

27Gild E d s ilv ER pa N da N

Probably Lucknow, Northern India

Late 18th century

Gilded silver

12 cm (h) x 8,3 (w) x 8 cm (d) Price: 6.800 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Alexis Renard T.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02

E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com W: www.alexisrenard.com

This Pandan is covered with repeated flowers, some inscribed in medallions, and decorated on the base with a frieze of palmettes. This flower inspired design is typical of the Mughal repertoire with a strong taste for floral design.

For a related Pandan also in gilded silver see: Zebrowski, M. (1997) Gold, Silver and Bronze from Mughal India, London: Alexandria Press in Association with Laurence King, ‘The art of the silversmith’, fig. 26, p. 48.

28Ni NETEEN po RTR ai T s of M UGH al RU l ER s

Faizabad, India

Circa 1770

Ink and pigments on paper, in a brass frame on a gilded background Diameter frame: 23,5 cm Price: 4.200 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Alexis Renard

T.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02 E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com W: www.alexisrenard.com

This beautiful group, probably painted in Faizabad for a French patron, includes 19 small portraits of great Mughal leaders in medallions. Along with each portrait are phonetic transcriptions of the names of each: ‘Tamerlan I’, ‘Djehanguir’, ‘Akbar’, ‘Chadjehan’, or ‘Oumahioun’.

A lovely ruby and diamond necklace consisting of 20 roundels each with a repousse backing resembling coins. These are strung on a ruby necklace and frame a central ruby pendant. All the elements are mounted with pearls.

a RU b Y a N d dia M o N d

NECK la CE South India

19th century Length: 38,5 cm Weight: 118 gr Price: 22.000 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Sue Ollemans

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

30Vyāl A

India

11th -12th century Sandstone Height: 59 cm or 23 inch

Provenance : French private collection Price : 14.000 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Christophe Hioco

M.: +33 (0) 1 53 30 09 65 E.: info@galeriehioco.com W: www.galeriehioco.com

A skilfully composed battle scene

Sculpted in very high relief, this sculpture with openwork motifs represents a combat scene between a Vyāla and a small character. The Vyāla is a mythical animal, widely represented in India, and is a graceful-looking creature. Its piercing gaze, its powerful jaw and its tail ending in a flame are all elements that contribute to the ferocity that emanates from this animal. The details of its mouth are strongly protruding, thus contributing to the vigour of the representation.

The contorted, curved body of this Vyāla wears a pearl necklace and its mane is clearly visible. The animal appears to be in motion, its position is dynamic, arched and proud. It seems to be fighting with the figure present, whose hand is in the animal’s jaw, while it seems to be struggling. This position also gives it a very graceful, almost dancing movement and makes it look as if it too is participating in the fight.

The Vyāla, emblem of the Indian fantasy repertoire

This piece is typical of the architectural reliefs that adorned Indian temples in medieval times. Often placed in the recesses of the walls outside the temples, the Vyāla reliefs also supported cornices. Their prophylactic function, brings protection to the faithful when they perform their ritual tour of the temple. A symbol of royalty and strength, this characteristic iconography would have adorned a pillar of a mandapa - a hall with columns - or a Hindu temple gallery.

A refined aesthetic magnifying religious architecture Carved in very high relief, this Vyāla is a fine example of the ornamental sculpture of the period. The work gives an impression of fluidity and ease in the movements of its protagonists. This impression is reinforced by the play of light and shadow provided by the high relief and the openings, which bring contrast and vigour to the scene. We admire the undulating gestures that perfectly convey the power of the animal and the great agility of the character.

31bU dd H a b i RTH R E li E f

Schist

Ancient Gandhāra region

2nd-3rd century

Height: 44,5 cm or 17,5 inch

Provenance: Franco Giubergia, Turin, 1999; then French private collection (by repute). Price : 28.000 euros

An essential scene in the life of Buddha Śākyamuni: his birth

It was in the Gandhāra that the iconography of the Buddha in human form was gradually established. The Gandhāra school emphasizes the last existence of the historical Buddha, as well as his previous lives or jātaka. It developed a syncretic style, which can be seen here in the use of carefully sculpted drapery reminiscent of classical Hellenistic statuary. The scene depicted is easily identifiable: it is the birth of Buddha Śākyamuni, the historical Buddha. In keeping with classical iconography, it depicts Queen Māyā - the Buddha’s mother - in Lumbinī, grasping a branch of the śāl tree with her right hand. From her side is born the future Buddha, gathered in a cloth stretched by Indra. On the right, Mahāprajāpatī supports her sister, and gently touches her belly, as if to soothe her.

A characteristic syncretic art

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by: Christophe Hioco

M.: +33 (0) 1 53 30 09 65

E.: info@galeriehioco.com

W: www.galeriehioco.com

The Hellenistic influence is remarkable here, particularly in the drapery and the modelling of the bodies. The features of the figures are finely incised, the attitudes graceful and dynamic. The hairstyles are worked into characteristically soft curls; the care taken with Indra’s hair, as well as the various ornaments of Māyā and her sister, is noteworthy. The śāl tree, the sacred tree, unfolds above the figures in delicately carved scrolls. Indian iconographic influences meet Greek stylization here, providing a syncretic whole characteristic of the Gandhāra region, all set in a lively and detailed ensemble.

The art of narrative in Gandhāra

It can be assumed that this relief was originally part of a frieze dedicated to the life of Buddha. It was usual to find such scenes in the monasteries of Gandhāra. The latter were composed of two types of spaces: courtyards accessible to devotees and cluttered with all sorts of exvoto monuments, such as burial mounds (stūpa) and chapels, and beyond that an enclosure reserved for monks only. In the public areas, the bases of the stūpa, the door and window surrounds, the plinths and sometimes even the risers of the stairs bore numerous reliefs, juxtaposing decorative motifs and apologetic narrative scenes, of which this relief can be assumed to be a part.

32izNiK TilE

Iznik, Turkey

Ottoman Empire Circa 1530

Fritware with underglaze painted decoration

23,8 cm (h) x 23,6 cm (w) x 1,9 cm (d) Provenance:

Old French private collection, the tile was framed in an early 20th century English frame from R. Dolman and sons and was bearing a French label dated 1965 stating it was Persian (sic) Price: 15.000 euros

Ob J e C t P R e S ente D by:

Alexis Renard

T.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02

E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com W: www.alexisrenard.com

This beautiful early tile bears a design in a central cartouche with tchi cloud design. This design can be found on the upper corners of the walls of the Sünnet Odasi at Topkapi Palace.

A related example of different shape with tchi clouds is kept in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (1681-1892).

Another example is kept in the Sadberk Hanim Museum (SHM 3994) and published in: Bilgi, H. (2009) Dance of Fire - Iznik tiles and ceramics in the Sadberk Hanim Museum and Ömer M. Koç Collections, Istanbul: Vehbi Koç Foundation: Sadberk Hanim Museum, p. 91, N°25.

Another tile, closely related, but with the tchi cloud design on the corners, is kept in the collection of the Louvre Museum in Paris (AD5595).