MAY ART 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.
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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.
MAY 2022 - 7
fRA g M en T of A s elju K jAR, Habb
Iran
Seljuk period
12th - 13th century
Terracotta
Height: 26 cm
Width: 31 cm
Depth: 17 cm
Provenance:
Formerly in a private French collection, acquired in the 1960’s
Price: 15.000 euros
Obje 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 fragment comes from the shoulder of a large water jug, or habb, dating back to the Seljuk Empire. These unglazed terracotta jars kept water relatively cool.
The habbs that have survived to this day vary in their degree of decoration; this fragment features a very elaborate design. In the centre, a crowned female bust sits between two arched sections, separated by friezes of foliage and small flowers. The treatment of the head is in line with the standards of beauty of its time, with arched eyebrows and a round face. On either side of this central figure are various real and mythological animals, nestled in the arches outlined by the friezes. On the left, a strange animal with two legs and a round face seems to have two ram’s horns. On the right, two birds face each other against a background of arabesques. Their eyes face opposite directions, creating a game of symmetry within this remarkable design.
Such figurative decoration was typical of court imagery in the Islamic world during the medieval period. The high relief of the decorations, the standard of craftsmanship, and the fact that some of these pieces are signed demonstrate that such sophisticated objects were reserved for an elite.
For examples of whole or fragmentary habbs, see:
- Canby, S. R., Beyazit, D., Rugiadi, M. and Peacock, A. C. S. (2016), exhibition catalogue, Court and Cosmos: The Great Age of the Seljuqs, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, p. 110 n. 38, p. 131 n. 60, and p. 248 n. 158.
- Collections catalogue, Türk Ve Islâm Eserleri Müzesi, Akbank, 2002, p. 132.
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MAY 2022 - 11
sTAR-sHAPeD TiMuRiD Tile
Khaf or Khargird, Khorassan, Northeast Iran
Timurid Period
Circa 1442-1443
Ceramic decorated in cuerda seca or black line technique, gold leaf
Height: 36 cm
Width: 34,5 cm
Provenance:
Old private Belgian collection, acquired through Mr. J. van den Bergh, former president of the Museum Oud Overschie, collection of the late Mr. J.W.N. van Achterbergh
Price on request
Obje 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 ceramic star-shaped Timurid tile shows a design of vegetal patterns and flowers reserved against a deep cobalt background. We can still see remains of gilding. The technique is using gold leaf applied with arabic gum above the glaze.
Tiles such as this example are known to have been placed in combination with others on the Iwan in the Ghiyasiyya Madrasa in Khargird in the Northeast of Iran. This building was finished in 846 AH / 1442-43 AD and made for Ghiyath al-Din Pir Ahmad Khvafi, one of the viziers of the Timurid Shah Rukh.
While these tiles are usually attributed to the mosque of Khargird, their actual location is difficult to determine. Bernard O'Kane made an inventory of similar tiles in several other mosques from Khorasan.
Furthermore, during his journey across the region in 1907, Henry-René d’Allemagne photographed, in the mosque of Khaf, a tile with an identical design as the one of the tile presented.
For related examples, see: Porter, V. (1995) Islamic tiles, London: published by British Museum Press, p. 69. See also: von Folsach, K. (2001) Art from the world of Islam in the David Collection, Copenhagen, p. 174, Ill. 226.
A closely related example is kept in the collection of the Louvre Museum in Paris (OA 6165). Another closely related star-form tile is kept in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of New York (Inv. 17.143.1) and published in: Lentz, T. W. & Lowry, G. (1989) Timur and the princely vision - Persian Art and Culture in the Fifteenth Century, LACMA, p. 90, cat. no. 23.
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MAY 2022 - 15
A gR e Y sCH is T
fR eize
Gandhara
3-4th century
Of Siddartha Riding to school
Provenance:
Private collection, Hong Kong
Price: 4.000 euros
M.: + 44 (0) 7775
E.: sue@ollemans.com
W: www.ollemans.com
Similar example : sold Sothebys Hong Kong lot 1099 Tuyet Nguyet and Stephen Markbreiter collection
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Obje C t P R e S ente D by: Sue Ollemans
566 356
MAY 2022 - 17
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sTA n D ing b u DDHA
W i TH H is R ig HT
HA n D s RA ise D in A bb AYA M u DRA
Thailand
Ayutthaya period
17th century
Gilt lacquered bronze with traces of lacquer
Height: 38 cm
Provenance: Private German collection, acquired in Frankfurt april 1960 at Frankfurter Münzhandlung, Frankfurt am Main
Price: 8.400 euros
A elegant standing Buddha with his feet slightly apart on a tiered circular pedestal, his right hand raised in abbaya mudra (the gesture of dispelling fear) and his left hand pendant by his side. His face is very soft and smiling, with his eyes half closed, his hair is arranged in small curls beneath a domed chignon rising to a tall flame finial. The sanghati covers both shoulders with a broad belt and a central fold between the legs. The monastic robe is flowing in the air by two sides. The bronze has extensive gilding, red and black lacquer on the surface.
This Buddha figure was created during the period pf Ayutthaya kingdom. The kingdom was founded in 1350 AD by King U Thong in the Chao Phraya River basin at the north of Bangkok. By the middle of the 15th century the kingdom extented to the majority of the territory of present-day Thailand. It was one of the richest and most powerful kingdoms ever in Southeast Asia until the Burmese attacked and burned its capitals in 1767 AD. It attracted merchants and other visitors not only from neighbouring Asia countries but also from Europe.
Obje C t P R e S ente D by: Farah Massart
M.:+32 495 289 100
E.: art@famarte.be W: www.famarte.com
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MAY 2022 - 21
MiRRoR WiTH HAnDle
Cambodia
Angkor Vat period
12th century
Bronze and handle in iron
Height: 28 cm
Diam.:17 cm
Price: 3.200 euros
Obje C t P R e S ente D by:
Farah Massart
M.:+32 495 289 100
E.: art@famarte.be
W: www.famarte.com
Bronze mirrors were popular items among the Khmer during the 12th century, as they are represented in the raised hands of several apsaras carved in relief on the walls at Angkor Vat and Ta Prohm. An apsara holding a mirror is a genre known from early Indian sculpture where it reflected the beauty of its owner, and may have also been intended as a possible offering to a deity.
The mirror is decorated with a raised rim and several concentric circular moldings. The mirror has an iron handle with floral design. It is cast in the lost wax method.
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MAY 2022 - 23
CHofA Thailand
19th century
Teak Wood, mounted on a metal base
260 cm (h) x 70 cm x 52 cm
Price: 3.700 euros
Obje C t P R e S ente D by: Farah
Massart
M.:+32 495 289 100
E.: art@famarte.be
W: www.famarte.com
Chofa is a architectural decorative ornament that adorns the roofedge of a wat (palace) in most Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. It resembles a elongated bird and looks hornlike. The chofa is generally believed to represent the mythical creature Garuda, half bird and half man from the Hindu mythologie, who is the vehicle of the Hindu god Vishnu.
This Cho Fa represents a fabulous dragon (Makara) with teeth and tongue. This creature with the trunk of a makara, a goatee and horns, his eyes wide open is of a surprising grandeur. The teak wood shows traces of red pigment and extensive gilding.
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Similar example : sold Sothebys Hong Kong lot 1099
Tuyet Nguyet and Stephen Markbreiter collection
A
lAR ge g ol D
Re P ousse A n D
Co RA l sADD le
Ring Tibet
18/19th century
Provenance:
Private collection, Spain
Private collection, Hong Kong
Price: 6.000 euros
Sue Ollemans
M.: + 44 (0) 7775 566 356
E.: sue@ollemans.com
W: www.ollemans.com
MAY 2022 - 27
07
Obje C t P R e S ente D by:
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M AHA si DDHA
M AH il A “T H e bRA ggART” A n D
M AHA si DDHA
K A n HAPA “T H e
D ARK M A s T e R”
This beautiful set of two large and relatively late paintings portray two of the eighty-four indian yogis who became Mahasiddhas by realization and practicing toward the path of Vajrayana buddhism. One of them is identified as Mahila “the Braggart” from Magadha, southern Bihar, India. he purified his own arrogance and showed his followers to the path to obtain siddhi. The other one is Kanhapa/Krsnacharya
“The Dark Master” or the “Dark-skinned one”, from southern part of India. He has magical power to order the seven damaru skull drums and canopies to float and to make sounds in the air.
Inscriptions: “Glory to MahIla“, “Glory to Krsnacharya“
Tibet
Late 19th century
Paper
68 cm x 48 cm
Provenance: Astamangala, Netherlands
Price: 30.000 USD for the pair
Obje C t P R e S ente D by:
Hollywood Galleries
M.: +852 2559 8688
+852 2541 6338
E.: hollywoodgalleries@gmail.com
W: www.hollywood-galleries.com
Reference: Taranatha, and David Templeman. Taranatha’s life of Krsnacarya/Kanha. Library of tibetan works and archives, 1989.
MAY 2022 - 29 08
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sTA n D ing
g uA n Y in China Ming Dynasty
16th century
Height: 22,8 cm
Ivory model with a wood stand
Provenance:
Private South American collection
UK CITES export no. 551924/08 and Hong Kong permits Price on request
An ivory model of a standing Guanyin, with serene expression, wearing long flowing robes tied at the chest below a bead necklace and bejewelled headdress, the hands held together in front of the body, the ivory of rich brown tones.
European influences on this representation of the goddess indicates an earlier period when carvings of Guanyin can resemble figures of Madonna and child..
Obje 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
MAY 2022 - 33 09
An o il PA in T ing of A b e Au TY (meiren) China
Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
19th century
Oil paint, canvas and a wood frame with a metal hook
58,4 cm (h) x 43,2 cm (w), with frame: 66 cm x 51 cm
Provenance:
Henrik Eugen Reuterswärd (18811964), Sweden, by descent within his family
Price on request
Obje C t P R e S ente D by:
Alan Kennedy
M.: + 1 646 753-4938
E: kennedyalan@hotmail.com
W: www.alankennedyasianart.com
A young woman (meiren) is depicted in a full-face view, her eyes looking directly at the viewer. Her face is oval, with slightly parted lips, and red-tinged cheeks. She wears a traditional silk female robe having a finely detailed band of embroidered flowers. Positioned under the right arm, and resting on a traditional Chinese wooden table, is a seven-stringed qin, an ancient zither-like instrument. Seven silk cords, each in a primary color, decorate the visible end of the wooden qin
The young beauty in the painting may not represent an actual person, but rather an idealized version of a courtesan. Such women were sought after by men of high status and wealth, not only for their youth and beauty, but also for their skills in the performing arts and their literary and conversational talents. Their Japanese counterpart is the geisha.
Oil painting was introduced to China by Jesuit priests, who first came to China in the 16th century. There was a flourishing export market for Chinese oil paintings, and many such paintings were made in workshops and bought by foreigners. There was also a domestic market, and this painting, with its obvious appeal to a Chinese male, may well have originally hung on the wall of a Chinese residence prior to being purchased by the Swedish collector.
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fR es Co PAi n Ti ng
o f A fi gu R e on Ho Rs e bACK
China
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
Length: 28,5 cm
Width: 31 cm, mounted on a stand
Provenance:
Private French collection, acquired in 1998
Price on request
Obje 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 polychrome fresco fragment of rectangular form, painted with a figure on horseback, dressed in long colourful robes, an attendant standing to one side of a horse, all amongst cloud-scrolls, the details picked out in raised gesso and with traces of gilt.
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fR es Co PAi n Ti ng
o f A fi gu R e A nD
ATT enD A n T
b e si De A
T e T He R eD W H iT e Ho Rs e
China Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
Length: 28 cm
Width: 26,7 cm, mounted on a stand
Provenance: Private French collection, acquired in 1998
Price on request
Obje 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 polychrome fresco fragment of rectangular form, painted with a figure and attendant beside a tethered white horse, the principle figure dressed in bright red robes and tall hat, all beside a tree issuing from rockwork, the details picked out in raised gesso and gilt
MAY 2022 - 41 12
sTA n D ing D ei TY
India
Gupta period
4th-5th century Terracotta
Height: 74 cm
Provenance: French private collection
Price: 42.000 euros
Obje 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 divine statuette
The divinity is represented here in full-length; it is worth noting the rarity of this high degree of conservation for a terracotta statuette. Here the deity wears a serene, deceptively indolent expression, while her full lips seem to be smiling playfully. Heavy eyelids fall on her almondshaped eyes, surmounting a straight and thin nose. Despite the absence of some of his attributes, it can be assumed that he is the god Visnu. A richly decorated diadem surmounts the head of the god, giving him a majestic aura. Several ornaments punctuate the body of the deity. The modelling is soft, naturalistic, the body is youthful and slender, as required by the Gupta canon.
The Golden Age of Indian Art
Indeed, 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 and for the refined character of representations. A true aesthetic awareness was born; Gupta art is the result of a conceptualised and codified beauty, with the establishment of a canon of beauty.
On the other hand, terracotta, abundant and flexible, was a material of choice for artists, as this piece shows. It was given a major decorative role, particularly in the ornamentation of temples and stupas, entirely covered with sculptures, pillars and lintels. Terracotta was used for both secular and religious representations, and this work therefore belongs to the second category.
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. 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 afterwards (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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MAY 2022 - 45
i n D i A n C l AY figu R es
Attributed to Jadunath Pal
Krishnanagar, India
19th century
Clay, hair, cloth
Height: 28,6 cm
Price: 38.000 USD
Obje C t P R e S ente D by: Kapoor Galleries
M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300
E.: info@kapoors.com
W: www.kapoors.com
Krishnanagar, a province of Bengal, has a long history of clay modeling which began in the mid-18th century when Maharaja Krishnachandra Roy (r. 1728–1783) established potteries in the region in order to create religious idols (Chose, 44–45). While clay figurines were traditionally limited to figures of deities from the Hindu pantheon, the Maharaja’s introduction of the Hindu practice of Barwari Puja (community worship) created a large and diverse clientele for clay modeling. Clay scenes made for group worship began including figures of human attendants that served the clay gods. These human figures soon became popular on their own, encouraged by the Western demand for realistic representations of the people, plants, and animals of India (Chatterjee, 208).
The practice reached its zenith in the late 19th century, when such figurines were considered national treasures and were often sent to international exhibitions to represent India. In particular, the Pal family garnered much renown for their exceptional skill in the craft, the most famous of whom was Jadunath Pal (1821–1920). An article written for the Glasgow International Exhibition in 1888 recounts that:
The figures made by [the Pal family] have acquired great celebrity, and they have repeatedly gained medals and certificates in most of the International Exhibitions held since 1851. There is considerable delicacy and fineness in their work; the figures are instinct [sic] with life and expression, and their pose and action are excellent.
(Mukharji, 59)
The writer continues that Jadunath Pal in particular had “no equal in India in this kind of work” (Mukharji, 63).
The present set, representing a variety of Indian castes, is attributed to Jadunath Pal, who often included the contributions of specialist tradesmen in his work–the clothing was made not by modelers, but by actual tailors, and if a figure was accessorized with a basket or a necklace, they often came directly from the professionals themselves, giving the figures an @exceptional realism. While many of the figures are missing the implements of their trade that would
MAY 2022 - 47 14
once have distinguished them from one another, the delicate positioning of their bodies and their animated appearance nevertheless bring them to life. Not only were these figures once outfitted with real clothing and tools, but also with human hair. While this novel feature is now missing on a majority of the figures, the largest of the group—an elderly man with a wonderfully articulated stomach and a string of beads around his neck—still retains his original patch of hair. See a similar group by Jadunath Pal which was exhibited at the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880 and gifted to the National Gallery of Victoria by the India Commision of the Melbourne International
Exhibition (acc. ST 40409-40414).
References:
Chatterjee, S., People of Clay: Portrait Objects in the Peabody Essex Museum, Museum History Journal, 2013.
Chose, B., Traditional Arts and Crafts of West Bengal: a sociological survey, Papyrus, Calcutta, 1981.
Mukharji, T. N., Art Manufactures of India: specially compiled for the Glasgow International Exhibition, Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta, 1888.
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K R is H nA PAY ing H o MA ge To R ADHA
Kangra, India
Circa 1810
Gouache heightened with gold on paper
23,7 cm x 17,1 cm
Provenance:
Koller Zurich, 30 October 20154, Lot 54.
Price:18.000 USD
Radha lounges on a large cushion with Krishna bowing at her feet, exemplifying his fidelity to her and any prying eyes that may be spying on the two lovers. Here, Krishna and Radha embody the nayika and nayak, as so purported in Keshav Das’ Rasikapriya. This piece likely depicts the Svadhinapatika Nayika, she who is loyally loved by a husband that is subject to her will. The nayak willingly chooses to submit himself to his lover, as it is not a forced devotion, but a true commitment to the other.
Obje C t P R e S ente D by:
Kapoor Galleries
M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300
E.: info@kapoors.com
W: www.kapoors.com
While Krishna is well known for his flirtatious and noncommittal ways, he always returns to Radha, in hopes of her reciprocating his infatuation with her. It is likely that this scene shows the Svadhinapatika Nayika, but the work deviates slightly, as traditionally the Nayak is shown cleansing or painting the feet of his beloved, but this image simply depicts Krishna bowing at Radha’s feet. As the present painting appears to be a warm exchange, given that Krishna is bowing rather than cleaning Radha’s feet, it can be argued that the scene presents the duality of their relationship: a deep sense of loyalty between Radha and Krishna contrasted with the pull of others who demand the Lord’s company. This speculation is a fitting metaphor for god and the devotee - while god is always there for the devoted, he also must care for the rest of his followers without placing too much focus on one individual. For a traditional example of the Svadhinapatika Nayika, see the Pahari drawing of the same subject from the Museum of Fine Art Boston, accession number 17.2483.
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A silve R-inl A i D
b
Ronze figu R e of gA nes HA
Himachal Pradesh or Uttar Pradesh, India
10th century
Height: 10,4 cm
Provenance:
The collection of Simon Digby.
Price: 60.000 USD
This traditionally depicted four-armed Ganesha is somewhat unusual in its inclusion of two flanking musicians, which are typically reserved for his dancing form. The figure on the proper right is beating a drum while the figure on the left strikes a pair of cymbals. The silver-inlaid eyes, mandorla and decorative supporting elements atop the stepped base suggest a provenance of northern India. In the regions surrounding the Sultej river, many of the arts of Kashmir were absorbed, but retained in a more folkish style. The deep grooves that give volume to Ganesha’s ears are a stylistic choice frequently made in the sculptures of Himachal Pradesh (see M. Postel, et al., Antiquities of Himachal, Bombay,1985,fig.27,fig.29,fig.122,fig.124).The mandorla itself, with circular details surrounding the outer band and triangular ornaments atop the crossbar below, is reminiscent of works from Uttar Pradesh (see ibid, fig. 174.).
Literature:
Obje C t P R e S ente D by:
Kapoor Galleries
M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300
E.: info@kapoors.com
W: www.kapoors.com
John Siudmak, Indian and Himalayan Sculpture and Thankas from the Collection of the Late Simon Digby, London, 2011, pgs. 20-21, no. 9.
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A le A f f Ro M TH e
‘s e Con D’ g ule R R A-
MAYA nA se R ies: R AMA
A n D His Allies TAK e Counsel
Guler, First Generation after Nainsukh and Manaku, India
Circa 1790
Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper
Image: 20,3 cm x 30,5 cm
Folio: 25,4 cm x 35,3 cm
Provenance:
Christie’s, London, 8 July 1982, lot 144. Private collection, California.
Price: 75.000 USD
Obje C t P R e S ente D by:
Kapoor Galleries
M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300
E.: info@kapoors.com
W: www.kapoors.com
This scene depicts the blue-skinned Rama with his brother Lakshmana, giving counsel below the walls of Lanka after the monkey chiefs have destroyed one of the demon Ravana’s chief warriors. The composition depicts a continuous narrative beginning with the troops’ first encounter with the demon army in the top left corner. In the larger scene, Rama and Lakshmana are encircled by the monkeys and bears of Rama’s army, some of whom are carrying tree branches as weapons. Others have their heads turned towards the fortified golden citadel of Lanka, situated on a rocky cliff. The series from which this illustration comes, the ‘Second’ Guler Ramayana (the first being that of Pandit Seu, 1720-30), was begun by artists from Guler at the same time as other well-known Gita Govinda and the Bhagavata Purana series. Scholars attribute these three great series to various of the sons of Manaku and Nainsukh at this time. The attribution of the present series to the ‘First Generation’ after Nainsukh has been made by the Metropolitan Museum of Art with their illustration from the set, Hanuman Revives Rama and Lakshmana with Medicinal Herbs (acc. 1987.424.13). The ‘Second’ Guler Ramayana series was created in two campaigns, as evidenced by the floral borders of the group that depicts scenes from books V and VI, including the present. While the series is devoid of inscriptions to identify the series’ sequence, the narrative speaks for itself. For the earlier part, see Goswamy and Fischer, Pahari Masters: Court Painters of Northern India, Zurich, 1992, nos. 143–45. For other drawings and paintings from the later part of this series see “The First Generation after Manaku and Nainsukh of Guler” by Goswamy and Fischer in Masters of Indian Painting 1650-1900, Zurich, 2011, p. 690, nos. 14-17. Further folios are illustrated in Britschgi and Fischer’s Rama und Sita: Das Ramayana in der Malerei Indiens, Zurich, 2008, nos. 54, 56, 58 and 78. Many of these reside at the Rietberg Museum.
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Monu M en TA l
sC ul PT u R e of bHA i RAvA
Southern India
Probably Tamil Nadu
13 - 14th century
Granite
Height: 92 cm
Width: 57 cm
Provenance:
Formerly in the Vérité collection, acquired in the 1950’s or 1960’s in Paris Price on request
Alexis Renard
T.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02
E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com
W: www.alexisrenard.com
This powerful sculpture is a depiction of Bhairava, the fierce form of the god Shiva. He is shown here naked, with four arms holding the drum damaru, the trident trisula, the snake naga, and the beggar’s bowl. He is wearing numerous pieces of jewellery and a long necklace composed of severed human heads. His hair is shaped as flames and his protruding fangs are meant to ward off enemies. He is incarnating he who destroys fear, he who is beyond fear.
He is shown here with his dog, also adorned with jewels. The sculpture is inscribed in a large mandorla, probably meant to show how the world can be regenerated after being destroyed (as with the circle of fire in the depictions of Shiva Nataraja, recreating the world with the sound of the damaru drum).
The origin of the story of Shiva Bhairava is symbolically linked to the destruction of Brahma’s ego. Brahma’s head had been severed by Kala Bhairava, an emanation of one of Shiva’s fingernails, after Brahma was interfering in Shiva’s actions. This episode recounted in the Shiva Mahapuranam has allowed Brahma to attain illumination by destroying his ego.
For a comparable example depicting Bhairava, see: H. Krishna Sastri (1916), South Indian Images of God and Goddesses, Madras Government Press, p. 155, fig. 97.
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Obje C t P R e S ente D by:
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Mini AT u R e of A Cou RT ie R on A n ele PHA n T
Company School India
Late 18th century - early 19th century Polychrome pigments, gold and silver on paper
Height: 21,5 cm
Width: 18 cm
Price: 4.800 euros
Obje 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
A beautiful elephant, richly adorned with a luxurious textile, is preceded by an attendant dressed in white. He is ridden by his mahout, probably a young raja – also richly dressed – carrying a katar and ankus, a hook that allows him to guide the elephant. The animal’s head is painted with delicate red scrolls. He wears numerous gold jewels and bells around his neck, feet and even his tusks, as well as on his forehead and hindquarters. The attendant is carrying fireworks mounted on a pole. These devices would spin when lit and were often used during elephant fights.
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s ei RY u (Pu R e sTR e AM & Pu R e W AT e R s)
Tanabe Chikuunsai II (1910-2000)
Chikuunsai zo, Made by Chikuunsai
Circa 1990, at the age of 80
Shiratake (white/blond bamboo), Tomobako & otoshi
34,3 cm x 33,3 cm x 11,6 cm
Price on request
Obje 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
Hakogaki:
Seiryu, hanakago, shiratake, karaito-ami [Pure Stream, a flower basket, white bamboo, in “Chinese thread weaving” (“silk thread weaving”) plaiting]
Sanju, Tekisuikuo, with seals “Ta Toshi no in (Denri no in)”
“Chikuunsai” [At the auspicious age of 80, Tekisuikyo” Karaito-ami [“silk thread weaving”]
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Ke KKA i (A s MA ll f R ee s TA n D ing s TA n D fo R s en CHA T e A C e R e M on Y)
Yachikurin
Kyoto, Japan
Circa 1950
Henchiku (twisted bamboo), Tomobako
93,8 cm x 9 cm x 33,5 cm
Price on request
Obje 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
Top: Henchiku kekkai [A small free standing screen for Sencha tea ceremony, made of natural twisted bamboo]
Back: Otowa sanroku, Yachikurin zo [Made by Yachikurin, at the foot of Otowa-yama]
Otowa-san (Otowa yama) refers to the Kiyomizu Temple (Kyoto) or the Mount Otowa which is located in Kyoto and Shiga prefectures.
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TAM b A T subo
Japan
Momoyama/Edo period
33,8 cm (h) x 26,5 cm
Price on request
Obje 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
Tamba ware, also spelled Tanba, is a type of Japanese pottery produced in Sasayama and Tachikui in Hyōgo Prefecture. Tamba is considered as one of Japan’s six famous ancient kilns, along with Seto, Tokoname, Echizen, Shigaraki and Bizen. The origins are purported to be in the late Heian period, when it was called Onohara ware.
From the early days until the Muromachi period (1392–1573), ceramics made in Tanba, as well as in other parts of Japan, consisted mostly of functional vessels such as jars, urns, and mortars. In the latter half of the Muromachi period and early Edo period (1500s–1600s), sake bottles and tea ceramics (as a result of the popularization of chanoyu, the Way of Tea) were added to this repertoire.
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m asangin (T HR ee P oun D s of fl Ax)
Daitetsu Sōto (1765-1828)
Japan
Edo period
18th/19th century
A kakemono (hanging scroll)
painted in ink with calligraphy
Scroll: 144,5 cm (h) x 108,5 cm (w)
Painting: 37,7 cm x 103,5 cm (w)
Price: 5.800 euros
Obje 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
Inscribed:
Masangin (Three pounds of flax)
*Daito Kokushi said this: In utter coldness as if the wood has pieced into the rock, I sit under the slanting moon to meditate until dawn overcoming hindrances, chilly clouds are accompanied by penetrating quietude, the gushing splash of a waterfall is heard somewhere along with sudden thundering.
*Allegedly a direct quote from Daitō Kokushi (1282-1338) the second patriarch and founder of Daitokuji Temple, Kyoto.
Seals:
Right: Manji Hōju-ichi
Left, upper: Daitetsu
Left, lower: Kaan dojin (The snail studio, a man of Tao)
Daitetsu Sōto (1765-1828) was the 430th abbot of Daitoku-ji Temple, Kyoto. Daitoku-ji was founded in the early 14th century and is the Headquarters of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism.
Masangin appears in an early Buddhist text ‘The Gateless Gate’ by Wumen Huikai (1183-1260) a famous Chinese Zen master from the Song period who compiled and commented on a collection of 48 Kōan.
In koan #18 Dongshan Liangjie (807–869) or Tozan Ryōkai (in Japan) says:
A monk asked Tozan: "What is Buddha?"
Tozan replied: "Masangin!" (Three pounds of flax)
At that moment Tozan was carrying three pounds of flax, therefore he could not indicate anything else. In fact he is saying that the question is wrong and if you ask a wrong question you will get a wrong answer as it is impossible to say what the experience of being a Buddha (enlightened) is.
However, he is compassionate and polite and chooses not to say: "You idiot! A question about Buddha is not to be asked - it is an experience without any explanation, an experience beyond the mind." He simply gives an absurd answer: “Masangin!”
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Zenga (Zen painting) is a form of teaching: in calligraphy the most common subjects are Zen poems and conundrums. The style of the brushwork is dramatically bold, seemingly impetuous and bluntly immediate in effect. The transition from mind to paper is spontaneous and finished works distill the essence of the Zen experience with simple strokes of the brush. The logic-destroying potential of a Zen Kōan (riddle) becomes visible in the movement of roughly brushed calligraphy.
Kōan consist of anecdotes, conversations with and sayings of the great patriarchs, some legendary and some biographical. They were designed to serve the pupil as a tool in his own religious practices and to eventually lead him to enlightenment.
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H A gi-YAK i vA se gou RD-s HAP e D
Tahara Tobei
Showa period
Circa 1950
Tomobako
Price:
Obje 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
Tahara Tobei 十二代田原陶兵衛
primary name: primary name: Tahara Tobei XII
other name: other name: Tahara Genjiro 田原源次郎
Ceramic artist. 12th generation. Second son of tenth generation Tobei. Succeeded to the name after his elder brother. Born Yamaguchi. Family follows in the Fukagawa Hagi line of ceramic artists. Lineage founded in 1866 by Akagawa (then Tahara) Kiyozo. 12th generation Tobei pursued independent study of Goryeo (Koryo) Korean ceramics. Specialized in tea ceremony ceramics.
Tahara Tobei (1925 - 1991), dedicated his life to studying Korean styles from the past while furthering the development of certain styles of Hagi-ware. Due to his skill, perseverance, and natural understanding of form and color, today his pieces are held by collectors and museums both domestically and abroad and his works are especially popular with practitioners of the Urasenke school of tea.
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SOLD
MAY 2022 - 79
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bAM boo WAT e R
gulle Y A n D
TRA iling P l A n T s
Ikeda Taishin (1825-1930), signed: Taishin
Japan
Meiji period
19th century
Tray
Gold, silver and coloured lacquer
16,3 cm x 16,3 cm
Provenance:
Edward Wrangham collection
Price: 9.500 euros
Obje 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 square dry-lacquer tray with a matte shibuichinuri ground lacquered with an angled bamboo water gulley and trailing plants in gold, silver and coloured takamakie (raised lacquer) with delicately engraved details.
Ikeda Taishin (1825-1930) studied both painting and lacquer making under Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) for many years. Widely considered Zeshin’s most important pupil, Taishin was one of the best-known lacquer artists of the Meiji period. From 1859 he was recognised as an independent makie-shi (professional lacquer artist) and had many pupils including Umezawa Ryushi, the youngest of Zeshin’s three sons. Having won various prizes in Japan and abroad, Taishin became an Imperial Household Artist in 1896. Although he often made large works such as the plaque made for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, more typical of his finer works are smaller pieces with traditional decoration.
Works by the artist can be found in the collections of various museums including: Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, and Tokyo National Museum.
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SOLD
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