A BLACK STONE FIGURE OF VARAHA RESCUING BHUDEVI, RAJASTHAN OR CENTRAL INDIA, 8TH-10TH CENTURY
A BLACK STONE FIGURE OF VARAHA RESCUING BHUDEVI, RAJASTHAN OR CENTRAL INDIA, 8TH-10TH CENTURY
Finely carved, the boar incarnation of Vishnu strides to the left in a heroic posture, his right hand resting against the corresponding thigh and his left raised before his chest, holding the Sudarshana chakra. His proudly erect torso is finely articulated with a subtle sensuous curvature and richly adorned with beaded jewelry, while a dagger is secured at his waist. Above rises the upright head of a boar, its visage defined by two bulging eyes and a prominent snout flanked by a pair of curving tusks. His hair is braided and gathered behind the head, which is framed by a circular nimbus. Poised lightly and gracefully upon his raised left forearm sits the earth goddess Bhudevi, with full breasts and delicately rendered features.
Provenance: R. M. Collection, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium, acquired between 1979 and 2009, and thence by descent to his wife Marie-Anne Lefevre in 2023.
Condition: Good condition with expected wear, traces of weathering and erosion, obvious losses, and minor chips, some of which have smoothed over time. The stone with a fine, naturally grown, smooth patina overall.
Weight: 24.6 kg (excl. stand), 28.2 cm (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 48.5 cm (excl. stand), 49.3 cm (incl. stand)
Varaha is the third incarnation of Vishnu in the Dashavatara. The transformation of Vishnu into a boar became necessary when the demon, Hiranayaksha, once dragged the earth under the sea. The earth-goddess's cries for help reached Vishnu who took the form of a boar, plunged into the depths of the ocean, gored the demon to death and surfaced with the earth intact. Varaha is depicted here in a heroic pose after rescuing Earth or Bhudevi, who in sculptural representations of Varaha is often depicted as a beautiful goddess seated on his raised elbow.
The present sculpture relates closely to a famous rock-cut relief in Cave 5 of the Udayigiri Caves, depicting Varaha rescuing the earth goddess, a masterwork of early Indian stone carving that demonstrates both artistic sophistication and theological symbolism. The Udayagiri Caves, located in Madhya Pradesh, are an important early example of Hindu rock-cut architecture, dating to the early 5th century during the Gupta period. Comprising a series of excavations dedicated primarily to Hindu deities, with a few Jain monuments, the site is celebrated for its monumental reliefs and inscriptions that reflect the political and religious vitality of the Gupta court.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related sandstone figure of Varaha, Central India, probably Madhya Pradesh, dated 8th century, 82 cm high, in the Cleveland Museum of Art, accession number 2011.148. Compare a related schist figure of Vishnu in the form of a boar, probably Northern Rajashtan, dated c. 1000, 83 cm high, in the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, object number B62S15+. Compare a related Pala basalt stele of Varaha, Eastern India, dated 11th century, 134 cm high, in the British Museum, registration number 1947,0512.1.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 8 May 2002, lot 513
Price: EUR 9,560 or approx. EUR 16,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A central Indian, Madhya Pradesh, grey sandstone figure of Varaha, 9th century
Expert remark: Compare the related subject, manner of carving, and modeling, with similar pose and animal features. Note the different stone, larger size (79 cm), and state of preservation.
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
A BLACK STONE FIGURE OF VARAHA RESCUING BHUDEVI, RAJASTHAN OR CENTRAL INDIA, 8TH-10TH CENTURY
Finely carved, the boar incarnation of Vishnu strides to the left in a heroic posture, his right hand resting against the corresponding thigh and his left raised before his chest, holding the Sudarshana chakra. His proudly erect torso is finely articulated with a subtle sensuous curvature and richly adorned with beaded jewelry, while a dagger is secured at his waist. Above rises the upright head of a boar, its visage defined by two bulging eyes and a prominent snout flanked by a pair of curving tusks. His hair is braided and gathered behind the head, which is framed by a circular nimbus. Poised lightly and gracefully upon his raised left forearm sits the earth goddess Bhudevi, with full breasts and delicately rendered features.
Provenance: R. M. Collection, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium, acquired between 1979 and 2009, and thence by descent to his wife Marie-Anne Lefevre in 2023.
Condition: Good condition with expected wear, traces of weathering and erosion, obvious losses, and minor chips, some of which have smoothed over time. The stone with a fine, naturally grown, smooth patina overall.
Weight: 24.6 kg (excl. stand), 28.2 cm (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 48.5 cm (excl. stand), 49.3 cm (incl. stand)
Varaha is the third incarnation of Vishnu in the Dashavatara. The transformation of Vishnu into a boar became necessary when the demon, Hiranayaksha, once dragged the earth under the sea. The earth-goddess's cries for help reached Vishnu who took the form of a boar, plunged into the depths of the ocean, gored the demon to death and surfaced with the earth intact. Varaha is depicted here in a heroic pose after rescuing Earth or Bhudevi, who in sculptural representations of Varaha is often depicted as a beautiful goddess seated on his raised elbow.
The present sculpture relates closely to a famous rock-cut relief in Cave 5 of the Udayigiri Caves, depicting Varaha rescuing the earth goddess, a masterwork of early Indian stone carving that demonstrates both artistic sophistication and theological symbolism. The Udayagiri Caves, located in Madhya Pradesh, are an important early example of Hindu rock-cut architecture, dating to the early 5th century during the Gupta period. Comprising a series of excavations dedicated primarily to Hindu deities, with a few Jain monuments, the site is celebrated for its monumental reliefs and inscriptions that reflect the political and religious vitality of the Gupta court.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related sandstone figure of Varaha, Central India, probably Madhya Pradesh, dated 8th century, 82 cm high, in the Cleveland Museum of Art, accession number 2011.148. Compare a related schist figure of Vishnu in the form of a boar, probably Northern Rajashtan, dated c. 1000, 83 cm high, in the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, object number B62S15+. Compare a related Pala basalt stele of Varaha, Eastern India, dated 11th century, 134 cm high, in the British Museum, registration number 1947,0512.1.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 8 May 2002, lot 513
Price: EUR 9,560 or approx. EUR 16,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A central Indian, Madhya Pradesh, grey sandstone figure of Varaha, 9th century
Expert remark: Compare the related subject, manner of carving, and modeling, with similar pose and animal features. Note the different stone, larger size (79 cm), and state of preservation.
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
