Wednesday November 15th 2023
Online Catalogue XXXVI
NOVEMBER issue
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. /AsianArtSociety
Cover Image: Mask presented by Thomas Murray on p. 48
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SALE
NOVEMBER ARTWORKS
Pieces are published and changed each month. The objects are presented with a full description and corresponding dealers 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.
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A RARE GOLD NECKLACE
Khmer Cambodia. Found in Sulawesi 10th Century 41cm Weight 78.2 grams Provenance: Private European Collection Price on request
Object Presented by: Sue Ollemans M.: + 44 (0) 7775 566 356 E.: sue@ollemans.com W: www.ollemans.com
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Large Yellow Vase
China Circa 1860 Height: 45 cm Price on request
Object Presented by: Brandt Asian Art M: +44 (0)7774 989 661 E: brandt@nildram.co.uk W: www.brandtasianart.com
‘A famille rose’ yellow ground baluster vase, decorated in moulded relief with the ‘100 Antiques’ design, comprising censors, vases and fruit on an incised ground painted with bats and precious objects, with bamboo-style handles.
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03
Nuo Mask
Minority Areas, South China Wood, lacquer 19th/early 20th century Height: 24 cm Price: 13.500 USD
Object Presented by: Thomas Murray M.: + 1 415.378.0716 E.: thomas@tmurrayarts.com W.: www.tmurrayarts.com
The Nuo mask tradition is rooted in a shamanic/ animistic tradition dating back thousands of years and preserved in remote mountains by the tribal minorities of SW China. The dramas feature heroic battles between the forces of good and evil and serve as a means to drive out devils and malevolent ghosts. This mask is thought to capture the character of a wise but strong leader; it comes from an old French collection and is one of the finest known.
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04
Incense burner
China 17th/18th century Width across handles: 13,3 cm Weight: 484 gr Publication: Christie’s South Kensington, 14th February 2002 Price on request
Object Presented by: Rasti Fine Art Ltd. M.:+852 2415 1888 E.: gallery@rastifineart.com W: www.rastifineart.com
A silver and gilt-copper incense burner, of waisted bombé form with slightly everted rim and large branch handles above a short foot, decorated with scattered butterflies to the body between plain gilt bands.
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05
Incense burner
Signed in four-character mark Hu Wenming China 16th/17th century Width: 10,2 cm Weight: 531 gr Publication: Sotheby’s New York, 3rd June 1992, lot 82 Price on request
Object Presented by: Rasti Fine Art Ltd. M.:+852 2415 1888 E.: gallery@rastifineart.com W: www.rastifineart.com
A gilt-copper incense burner and pierced domed cover, of bombé form, decorated with a wide band of scrolling lotus between overlapping lotus-petal borders, the cover with a frog finial above further lotus flowers and pads.
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06
Han basin
China Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) Diam.: 15,5 cm Provenance: Private Japanese museum, Osaka Price on request
Object Presented by: Rasti Fine Art Ltd. M.:+852 2415 1888 E.: gallery@rastifineart.com W: www.rastifineart.com
A gilt-bronze basin, the gently sloping body and short foot below a flattened everted rim engraved with an inscription enclosed by a zig-zag pattern, the interior with interlacing coiled stylised dragons, the exterior with three ribbed bands to the mid-section above a wide band of comparably stylised dragons, similarly decorated to the base. The inscription on the rim can be translated as: ‘Made in the first month of the ninth year of the founding of the nation, on the day of Guiyou Shuo, for the prosperity of generations of children and grandchildren.’
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07
A gem-set gold scabbard and jade handled hunting knife
China 17-18th Century Knife 19, 9 cm Total length: 21,5 cm Price on request
Object Presented by: Sue Ollemans M.: + 44 (0) 7775 566 356 E.: sue@ollemans.com W: www.ollemans.com
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08
A large stucco hand of Buddha
Gandhara 3rd century Height: 38 cm Provenance: Japanese collection, acquired in 1990s Christie’s New York, Indian and Southeast Asian Art, 16 September, 2008, lot 325 Price on request
Object Presented by: Kapoor Galleries M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300 E.: info@kapoors.com W: www.kapoors.com
Finely casted, the present sculpture of Buddha's right hand with all five fingers extended in Abhaya mudra (gesture of fearlessness) with fine detailed creases in his palm and fingers consisting of red pigment remains overall. A symbol of reverence, the hand here stands for Buddha himself. It also brings to attention the paramount significance of Mudras in Buddhist art and in the Buddhist religion at large. Mudras are a set of hand gestures symbolizing Buddha’s various roles and states of mind. Mudras have often, if not always, been pedagogical tools used to refashion Buddhist religious doctrine into comprehensible symbolic narratives. Buddhism reached Gandhara in the third century B.C. The present sculpture from the same time-period makes it a coveted object from the origins of Gandharan Buddhism.
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TEMPLE OFFERING VESSEL
Shaivite temple offering vessel Rajasthan, India 19th century Brass 24 cm (w) x 24,5 cm (l) x 15,5 cm (d) Price on request
This large cast oval-shaped vessel with a hinged cover was designed to hold offerings for the ceremony in the temple. The offerings could be either for the deities or for the temple staff and priests. The cover is in the form of an almost life-sized version of the head of a local Rajasthan hero or ruler with divine characteristics. The face has a prominent beard and moustache, with his hair piled high upon the head in two buns. A forehead band marks out the hairline and is decorated with floral and leaf motifs. The forehead is marked with a prominent Shaivite tika (third eye or spiritual eye), which means that this vessel was meant to be used in ritual worship of Shiva. Both ears are decorated with large circular earrings, the floral decoration is meticulous. The vessel has been masterfully cast and is in excellent condition. It's a rare and unique object, with an outstanding presence.
Object Presented by: Farah Massart M.:+32 495 289 100 E.: art@famarte.be W: www.famarte.com
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10
Illustration to Book Three of the Bhagavata Purana: The Story of Creation Varaha, the Boar Incarnation of Vishnu Appears before Brahma, Manu, and Satarupa
Attributed to Manaku (Active c.1725 - c.1760) Guler, India Circa 1740 Gouache and gold on paper 31,7 cm x 21,6 cm Provenance: Acquired in NY, July 7th, 1982 Price on request
Object Presented by: Kapoor Galleries M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300 E.: info@kapoors.com W: www.kapoors.com
After Brahma rises from the navel of Vishnu, he goes on to create various gods and divine sages; then he creates Manu, the “progenitor of all men.” Manu asks Brahma to pull the earth from the ocean so that he, his wife Satarupa, and his future family will all have a place to live. Brahma then goes to invoke his own creator, Vishnu, and almost immediately a tiny boar falls from his nose. “While he (Brahma) was looking on, a great miracle took place: the small boar in the sky shot up to the size of an elephant in a moment. Along with the Brahmanas with Marici as their chief with Kumaras and with Man, he saw the boar form and began to think in various ways. “Is it the transcendental being appearing in the form of a boar? ‘What a miracle that it should come out of my nose! It appeared like the tip of a thumb and in a moment it became as big as a great boulder. Can this be the divine sacrifice (i.e. Vishnu) himself who is trying my mind to exhaustion (by concealing his real form)?’” The master artist Manaku has brilliantly rendered against a bold yellow background, reminiscent of his earlier Gita Govinda series, this rare work illustrating the moment in which Brahma; pot of holy water and sacred text in hand- with four crowned heads and a superbly detailed grey beard, as well as Manu and his wife, look at the newly arrived boar “as big as a great boulder,” who has just revealed himself as the third incarnation of Vishnu: Varaha, the Boar Avatar.
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The detailing is superb; from the rosetint edged petals of the lotus flowers in Varaha’s shimmering crown, as well as the one he clasps along with the other three ayudhas (the conch, discus, and mace), the text on the sutra Brahma grasps, the sensitive handling of the fingers on each figures hand, the way the divine jewels of the celestial beings glisten on their bodies while dhotis flow with a sense of movement, to Varaha, painted in shimmering blue. Individual and deep emotion are portrayed in each figure’s eyes. Enhanced by these fine details, it is the reigning stillness in the page that moves the most. Manaku’s mastery of spatial dynamics, detail, and vivid color. Nothing else is brought into the space of this leaf as the mysterious, esoteric dialogue between the created and the creator proceeds. For other illustrations from this series see Goswamy, B. N., and Manaku. Manaku of Guler: the Life and Work of Another Great Indian Painter from a Small Hill State. Artibus Asiae Publishers, 2017, pgs. 146- 167, illustrations C45- C55."
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11
Maharaja Abhai Singh Receiving Thakur Bhandari Girdhar Das
Jodhpur, India Circa 1725-1730 Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper 31,1 cm x 24,8 cm Provenance: Sangram Singh collection Robert O. Muller Christie’s New York, 14 September 2010, lot 203. Publication: Rosemary Crill, Marwar Painting: A History of the Jodhpur Style, Mumbai, 2000, p. 75, fig. 46. Price on request
Maharaja Abhai Singh (b. 1702), who ruled Jodhpur from 1724 to 1749, sits here larger than life on a silver throne, holding a small ceremonial whisk and an upright sheathed sword. Two courtiers stand behind him, one waving a morchal (a peacock-feathered whisk) as a symbol of his royal authority. He is receiving his thakur (vassal) Bhandari Girghar Das, a Rathore nobleman from a Marwari thikana or fiefdom who kneels respectfully at his feet. Abhai Singh sits looking blatantly up past the petitioning vassal. He is dressed in a long, brilliant orange pleated jama with a gold floral designed patka and strands of pearls and precious gems which weigh down his shoulders. His head is topped with a silk Rathore-style pagri that sports ornate jewels and pearls, surmounted by a fine sarpech, his bare feet resting on a small plinth. The group is depicted like a frieze or still-life against the marble wall of a white pavilion with two swimming ducks and a fountain positioned below. He is depicted here in his full majesty and authority–still a relatively young man, probably in his late twenties. The rule of Abhai Singh marked a important period of development in court painting resulting in some of the finest paintings in Marwar.
Object Presented by: Kapoor Galleries M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300 E.: info@kapoors.com W: www.kapoors.com
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Mask Depicting a Hero
Cirebon Court, Java, Indonesia 19th/early 20th century Wood, pigment, gilt Height: 17 cm Provenance: Private Japanese collection Price: 18.000 USD
Object Presented by: Thomas Murray M.: + 1 415.378.0716 E.: thomas@tmurrayarts.com W.: www.tmurrayarts.com
The Java Courts, kraton, though Islamic since the 15th Century, supported masked dramas of Hindu themes. This character features a long refined nose, iconic for a hero, quite possibly depicting Prince Panji, who must struggle to recover his bride-to-be from a lustful demon.
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A Group of Five Miniature Noh Theater robes
Japan Meiji period (1868-1912) Circa 1900 Weaving, embroidery and applied gold foil, silk, asa (bast fiber) and gold Height: variable ranging from 21 to 27 cm Width: variable ranging from 31 to 50 cm Provenance: Private collection California, USA By descent from an entertainment executive with the US military during the 1940s Price: 1.500 USD for the group
Object Presented by: Alan Kennedy M: +1 646 753-4938 E: kennedyalan@hotmail.com W: www.alankennedyasianart.com
These miniature Noh theater costumes may have served as models for artisans in an atelier that produced actual costumes worn by actors in Noh plays. It is unlikely that they were made for puppets, because Bunraku, the traditional art of puppetry in Japan, made use of larger costumes, and also these miniature robes show no signs of wear as they would be expected to, had they been used for performances. Clothing for Japanese traditional dolls (ningyō) was also generally larger than these tiny costumes, and Noh theater was a rarefied form of performance art, and therefore not an appropriate subject for doll clothing. It is interesting to note that these tiny costumes were made of the same kind of textiles, constructed with the same materials and techniques, as were used for actual Noh theater costumes. They were tailored, and include silk linings when appropriate, according to the same methods used for making the human-sized robes that they closely resemble. Several different types of Noh costumes are represented in this group, including the surihaku, nuihaku, noshime, and chōken categories of theater costumes.
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There are three other known Company School illustrations of fruit bats, all of which are attributed to Bhawani Das, who produced extensive natural history studies for Sir Elijah Impey, Chief Justice of Bengal (1774–1782), and his wife, Lady Mary (see William Dalrymple, Forgotten Masters, Indian Painting for the East India Company, London, 2020, p.69–71, figs. 32–34). While the present image is executed on European Whatman paper, as were many other known Impey Album pages with similar illustrations, it is drawn on a much smaller scale, and more closely resembles illustrations produced by the circle of Ghulam ‘Ali Khan. See a folio from the Fraser Album at the British Museum depicting eight Sikh courtiers and servants of the Raja Patiala (acc. 1988,1020,0.1). While quite different in subject, the two images share the softly stippled layering of colors, rounded forms, and subtle naturalism that characterized paintings produced by the circle of Ghulam ‘Ali Khan. While the present image is almost certainly not from the Fraser Album, which consisted majorly of figure drawings and costume studies, it was likely produced by the same group of artists for another patron.
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Buddhist Group
Japan 17th century Height: 32 cm Price on request
Object Presented by: Brandt Asian Art M: +44 (0)7774 989 661 E: brandt@nildram.co.uk W: www.brandtasianart.com
A wood group of two priests, one standing, the other seated, both in flowing robes, the figures on a rockwork stand, the whole with red and blue lacquer remaining.
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Lacquer Chest
Japan 19th century 57 cm x 30 cm x 23 cm Price on request
Object Presented by: Brandt Asian Art M: +44 (0)7774 989 661 E: brandt@nildram.co.uk W: www.brandtasianart.com
A small black lacquer upright cabinet, enclosing ten drawers within a fall-front door, mounted with well engraved copper fittings. Each drawer front with named in gilt script calligraphy (possibly for a card game).
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16
Hanakago with natural bamboo handle
Maeda Chikubōsai I (1872-1950) Japan 1940 (Showa 15) Madake bamboo, nemagari-dake, rattan, lacquer wipe Tomobako Otoshi 48 cm (h) x 30 cm x 30 cm Price on request
Object Presented by: Galerie Mingei M: +33 (0)6 09 76 60 68 E: mingei.arts.gallery@gmail.com W: www.mingei.gallery
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Ten thousand years
Yamamoto Shoen (1868-1945) Japan 1936 (Showa 11) Smoked nemagaridake bamboo Tomobako Otoshi 34 cm (h) x 25,5 cm Price on request
Object Presented by: Galerie Mingei M: +33 (0)6 09 76 60 68 E: mingei.arts.gallery@gmail.com W: www.mingei.gallery
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Tennen-dake tsutsumi-gata hanakago
Maeda Chikubōsai I (1872-1950) Japan Circa 1910-1930 Bamboo basket with a handle, made of natural bamboo, in a shape of a hand-held drum, susudake smoked bamboo, natural bamboo (Tennendake), rattan Tomobako Otoshi 50 cm (h) x 23,5 cm x 23 cm Price on request
Object Presented by: Galerie Mingei M: +33 (0)6 09 76 60 68 E: mingei.arts.gallery@gmail.com W: www.mingei.gallery
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Portrait of the Monk Hōnen
Japan Muromachi/Momoyama period 15th/16th century Hanging scroll, Ink and colour on silk Scroll: 205,5 cm x 107,5 cm Painting: 108 cm x 84 cm Price on request
Hōnen (1133-1212) is the religious reformer and founder of the first independent branch of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism called Jōdo shū (The Pure Land School). In the related Jōdo Shinshū sect, he is considered the Seventh Patriarch. Following his father’s last wish, Hōnen became a monk of the Tendai sect at an early age, but grew disaffected and sought an approach to Buddhism that anyone could follow. Whilst studying at Mount Hiei he discovered the writings of Shan-tao, the Chinese Pure Land master who first undertook the teaching of rebirth in the Pure Land of Amitabha through nembutsu (reciting Buddha's name). ‘Only repeat the name of Amitabha with all your heart. Whether walking or standing, sitting or lying, never cease the practice of it even for a moment. This is the very work which unfailingly issues salvation, for it is in accordance with the Original Vow of Buddha.’ This commentary persuaded Hōnen to believe that nembutsu was all one needed to enter Amida Buddha’s Pure land. This new appreciation and understanding prompted him to leave Mount Hiei and the Tendai tradition in 1175.
Object Presented by: Gregg Baker Asian Art M: +32 (0) 468 00 56 85 E: info@japanesescreens.com W: www.japanesescreens.com
Hōnen relocated to the district of Ōtani in Kyoto where he started addressing crowds of men and women, establishing a considerable following. He attracted fortune-tellers, ex-robbers, samurai and other elements of society normally excluded from Buddhist practice. Hōnen was a man of recognition in Kyoto and many priests and noblemen allied with him and visited him for spiritual advice. The increasing popularity of his teachings drew criticism from noted contemporaries who argued against Hōnen's sole reliance on nembutsu as a means of rebirth in the Pure Land.
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The single practice of nembutsu denied the usefulness of all other Buddhist practices irking other sects. The sole emphasis on Amida Buddha was also coupled with discouraging the traditional worship of the kami (Shintō gods). Furthermore Hōnen placed the lowest lay-person on equal footing with the wisest monk, rendering the entire monastic establishment as useless again raising the ire of other sects. This undermining of those in power led the Emperor to exile him and his followers in 1207. While in exile, Hōnen spread the teachings to the people he met including fishermen, prostitutes and the peasantry. In 1211 the nembutsu ban was ultimately lifted and Hōnen was permitted to return to Kyoto where he stayed for a short time before his death. For more details, please visit: http://japanesescreens.com/ catalogue/scrolls/6954/
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Mountainous River Landscape
Japan Edo period 18th century A two-fold screen, ink, colour and gold leaf on paper 172,5 cm x 187,5 cm Price: 38.000 euros
Object Presented by: Gregg Baker Asian Art M: +32 (0) 468 00 56 85 E: info@japanesescreens.com W: www.japanesescreens.com
A two-fold paper screen is painted in ink and colour on a buff and gold ground with a mountainous river landscape. The scene depicts two nightingales in flight amongst hazy clouds above bush clover, pinks and hydrangea beside a bamboo fence.
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A three-case inro of cherry wood and stitched cherry bark, decorated with fish
Japan Second half 19th century Length: 7,5 cm Price: 3.000 euros
Object Presented by: Zebregs&Röell +31 6 207 43671 dickie@zebregsroell.com www.zebregsroell.com
Decorated with fish and shells in inlaid mother-ofpearl, silver and gold, with a metal ojime in the form of a clam, both unsigned.
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A four-case roiro lacquer inro depicting a scene from the Tale of Genji
Japan Circa 1800 Length: 7,7 cm Price: 3.000 euros
Object Presented by: Zebregs&Röell +31 6 207 43671 dickie@zebregsroell.com www.zebregsroell.com
Profusely decorated in gold hiramakie, foil and shell inlay with a riot of plants behind a wattle fence, with a porcelain ojime, both unsigned. Possibly, the parked court cart next to the fence with ivy may refer to chapter four of the Tale of Genji (Yûgao).
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A four-case lacquer inro, decorated in hiramakie with a large herd of horses
Japan 19th century Length: 7,5 cm Price: 5.000 euros
Object Presented by: Zebregs&Röell +31 6 207 43671 dickie@zebregsroell.com www.zebregsroell.com
Decorated in black and gold with ‘a thousand horses’ pattern. With an ojime carved with horses and a netsuke of a grazing horse, all elements unsigned. The netsuke 18th century.
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A superb three-case Ritsuo-style inro in the Ryuku Island style
Japan Second half 18th century Length: 7,5 cm Price:16.000 euros
The entire ground is a geometric pattern of inlaid pearlshell, inlaid with an inscribed trompe-l’œil lacquer ink cake with inscription including a “signature” Ritsuo with kan seal on one side, a lacquer brush and bone seal carved with a peach on the other. The risers of the red lacquer interiors are decorated with chinkinbori waves. With a coral ojime. The inro itself appears to be a superior example of a type that originated in the Ryukyu Islands (modern day Okinawa) and was adopted or their cord runners by the Somada school of lacquerers. But it appears to have been ordered, or adopted, by a sophisticated follower of Ritsuo. The clue may be in the decoration to the risers, typical of the work of Nomura Chōhei. The text on the ink cake reads:
„Kyoho go kanoe-ne, „Kunshi wa hyohen su, sono bun utsu taru nari“, Ritsuo sei, with the seal Kan“ [Kyoho 5th year in the year of Kanoe-ne (1720), „Gentlemen change like leopards, the glory shines more and his writing is also wise“, made by Ritsuo, with the seal Kan].
Object Presented by: Zebregs&Röell +31 6 207 43671 dickie@zebregsroell.com www.zebregsroell.com
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Upavita Gold Clasp set with rubies (sacred thread clasp)
Java Eastern Javanese 8-10th Century Height: 2.5 cm Length: 11.5 cm Weight 24.7 grams Provenance: Private Portuguese collection Price: 7.000 euro
Object Presented by: Sue Ollemans M.: + 44 (0) 7775 566 356 E.: sue@ollemans.com W: www.ollemans.com
Similar items at the Metropolitan Museum New York, the Samuel Eilenberg-Jonathan P. Rosen Collection of Indonesian Gold, Bequest of Samuel Eilenberg, and Gift of Jonathan P. Rosen, 1998 Accession Number: 1998.544.461
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Chakrasamvara and Vajrayogini
Nepal 15th-16th century Gilt copper Height: 22 cm Provenance: Henri and Dolores Kamer, New York. Private American collection, acquired from the above in the early 1990s. Publication: Himalayan Art Resources (himalayanart. org), item no. 16809. Price on request
Object Presented by: Kapoor Galleries M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300 E.: info@kapoors.com W: www.kapoors.com
"Chakrasamvara and Vajrayogini are important deities of the highest class of yogic practice in Vajrayana Buddhism. This small gilt-bronze sculpture of meditational deities in union exudes an energy that reaches far beyond the boundaries of its surface. Chakrasamvara is depicted here according to Tibetan Buddhist convention, with four faces and twelve hands, in alidhasana, embraced by his consort Vajrayogini. Together they trample the deities Bhairava (who lies prostrate) and Kalaratri (who lies supine). The multiheaded tutelary deity holds various attributes with his many arms radiating around him, the principle arms holding a vajra and bell and the uppermost holding the ends of a tiger skin which he drapes over his back. This lustrous gilt-bronze sculpture is representative of the highest quality Nepalese craftsmanship. Its magnificence is embedded not only in the semiprecious inset ornaments that adorn the deities gleaming golden, perfectly proportioned bodies, but perhaps more so in the sweetness of the countenances and the apparent meeting of the male and female manifestation’s gazes—the intangible, yet mosthuman feature of this sculpture.
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Compare the present sculpture to a fourteenth-century sculpture of Chakrasamvara in union with Vajrayogini from Central Tibet at the Rubin Museum of Art (acc. C2005.16.16) which has repeatedly been attributed to the hand of a Nepalese artist in exhibitions and publications (see Collection Highlights: The Rubin Museum of Art, New York, 2014, p. 106). The Rubin sculpture appears to have been crafted in Tibet for a number of reasons including the appearance of the metal alloy beneath the gilding and the fixtures revealed on the backside of the figure and base which indicate that it would have been mounted on a larger structure, likely a tashi gomang or a stupa of ‘many auspicious doors.’ The similarities between the present sculpture and the Rubin example, in terms of craftsmanship and style are significant as the Rubin sculpture more directly evidences the significant relationship between Nepalese craftsmanship and Tibetan Buddhist worship. Newar craftsmen made Vajrayana buddhist figures such as the present for both Nepalese and Tibetan patrons in both Nepal and Tibet. However, the unfinished backside of the present figure’s lotus base and the remnants of red pigment thereon are telltale signs of a geographical Nepalese provenance. The modeling of the lotus petals and red pigment applied to the back of the base can be observed on a stylistically similar sculpture of Sahaja Chakrasamvara at the British Museum (acc. 1921,0219.1) attributed to the sixteenth century and acquired directly from Nepal. The present bronze group, however, is far more complex and impressive.
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Panel Mourning Cape or Headcloth
Paiwan Taiwan Early 19th/20th century Ramie, wool 97 cm x 56 cm Price: 10.000 USD
Object Presented by: Thomas Murray M.: + 1 415.378.0716 E.: thomas@tmurrayarts.com W.: www.tmurrayarts.com
Such cloths as these were woven for use in funerary ceremonies. There is a spiritual quality to the open field that shares an aesthetic kinship with the celebrated beauty of the Aymara weavings of Bolivia.
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Black Jambhala/ Dzambhala – The Wealth Bestowing Deity
Tibet 14-15th century Yellow stone Height: 4,7 cm Provenance: Benny Rustenburg collection (1940-2017) Price on request
This miniature yellow stone figure of Black Jambhala is an exquisite representation of a revered deity from the Buddhist pantheon. Black Jambhala, also known as Kubera or Dzambhala, is considered the god of wealth and a protector of the Dharma. Black Jambhala is depicted as a dwarf, naked, embodying humility and the renunciation of materialistic desires. It’s interesting to see this figure is positioned with two knees bent, rather than one leg extended. Trampling over the son of Vaishravana, a symbol for overcoming greed and avarice. In his right hand, Black Jambhala holds a kapala, or skull cup, a common iconographic element in Tibetan Buddhist art, symbolizing the transformation of negative traits into wisdom. His left hand clutches a mongoose, a significant symbol that spits out jewels, signifying the deity’s ability to bestow wealth and prosperity. Every aspect of this stone figure, from the choice of material to the intricate details, contributes to its spiritual and aesthetic appeal. It is not only an object of veneration, but also a valuable artifact that reflects the rich artistic traditions and religious beliefs of Buddhist culture. The worn surface, rather than detracting from its beauty, adds to the figure’s historic and spiritual charm. It serves as a testament to the many hands that have held it and the centuries that have passed since its creation. The worn surface is a silent witness to the rituals, prayers, and moments of contemplation it has been a part of. A comparable example of such a figure is an Acala statue from the Tibet Museum, Gruyeres.
Object Presented by: Hollywood Galleries T.: +852 2559 8688 +852 2541 6338 E.: hollywoodgalleries@gmail.com W: www.hollywood-galleries.com
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Sachen Kunga Nyingpo
Southern Tibet - Tsang Late 15th-mid 16th century Bronze with copper and silver inlay Height: 19,8 cm Provenance: Raymond Mitchell Dr. Phillip and Patricia Adams, Australia Price on request
Object Presented by: Hollywood Galleries T.: +852 2559 8688 +852 2541 6338 E.: hollywoodgalleries@gmail.com W: www.hollywood-galleries.com
The title ‘Sachen’ means that the person to whom the title has been bestowed has mastered his understanding and implementation of Buddhism and the expression literally means ‘He Who Has Attained a High Level of Practice’. His actual name ‘Kunga Nyingpo’ means ‘The Heart of a Complete State of Bliss’ and suggests that he had fully mastered his meditation practices. Clearly the gown shown in this image is no ordinary one despite it appearing like a semi-monastic robe and the pleats and decorations clearly reflect its extremely high quality. This sense of opulence is added to by the incorporation of copper inserts showing a floral motif in order to highlight the quality of the gown. These copper inserts appear to be a repeated pattern of scrolling flowers and it is possible that they were formed as a long strip with a stamped and incised design and inserted into the relevant sections of the robe. This practice is still followed these days in workshops in Patan in Nepal. In almost all representations of Kunga Nyingpo he is shown with tufts of grey hair only at the sides of his head above his ears. The effect of his greying hair has been wonderfully achieved by the use of silver stippling to give the effect of his age – but it should be noted that the artisan has been careful not to depict him as an elderly man nearing death. Instead, despite his grey hair and semi-baldness, his face is that of a strong and vital man with much life in him. His gentle smile, red copper lips and bright silver eyes have all been achieved through the skillful application of copper and silver and this makes the image seem almost alive. Kunga Nyingpo is usually depicted holding a lotus in his left hand and indeed in the present image he holds a lotus stem on top of which is seen a horizontally laid
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Tibetan book on an open lotus. The volume is that of the ‘Perfection of Wisdom’ - probably the version in 8000 verses – and this attribute shows that he is in his essence a ‘wisdom-being’ – that is, he has mastered the supreme Buddhist teachings of the emptiness of all things and their consequent relationship with what shows itself as the apparently ‘real’ world. The book sits on an opened lotus flower showing that the teachings in book itself are pure - like the pure stainless lotus which has its roots in mud and yet which remains stainless like the perfected human mind. That lotus stem leads down into a vase which also sits on an open lotus and which contains a spiritual elixir of long life. The state of purity of the elixir is seen in the symbol of a swirl. This elixir gives long life which Kunga Nyingpo is a master of. His other hand also holds a lotus tendril on top of which, seated on an open lotus, is an upright sword which represents the sword of Mañjuśrī - the deity of wisdom – whose sword cuts Wisdom away from ignorance. This perfect state of understanding is attained through mastering the Perfection of Wisdom teachings to be seen on top of the other lotus stem. The importance of the lotus as ‘supports’ for Kunga Nyingpo’s attributes – the book and sword of wisdom – is something a Tibetan observer would immediately understand because Kunga Nyingpo was also regarded by Tibetans as one of the earthly manifestations of Avalokiteśvara the deity of supreme compassion showing himself in his two-armed form of Padmapani whose name means ‘He Who Holds the Lotus Flower’. It is uncertain whether this concept was developed in competition with the lineage of Dalai Lama-s who also claim the same spiritual lineage from Avalokiteśvara or whether it developed independently. It should be noted
that there was always a sense of ‘spiritual competition’ between Tibetan Buddhist traditions and although in most cases it manifested itself in competitive ‘gathering’ of more students than another tradition it only rarely broke out into hostility. The base is sealed by a copper plate and appears to have remained unopened. In typical Tibetan style the plate is held in position by a number of ‘claws’ made by nicking the copper base of the image and bending them inwards to stabilize the plate itself. The motif in the centre of the base plate is that of the ‘Natsok Dorje’ (Tib. sNa tshogs rdo rje) the symbol of Absolute Power’ which is intended to preserve and save the image and its important contents in the base from any bad occurrences or powers. The preservation of the contents and the unopened base means that this image is still, after several centuries, exactly as the person who commissioned it intended. The blessed substances inside continue to give the image its unique blessing power and permit it to radiate its beneficial powers. - David Templeman, Monash University Bibliography Tibet: Klöster öffnen ihre Schatzkammern. Kulturstiftung. Ruhr Essen – Villa Hügel. 2006. ‘Tibetan Thesaurus’ - Jigme Chökyi Dorjé, Bod brgyud nang bstan lha tshogs chen mo ‘The Great Tibetan Buddhist Lineage Collection of Deities’ (Qinghai People’s Publishing House, 2001)."
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