A FINE GILT-LACQUERED WOOD FIGURE OF AMIDA NYORAI, EDO PERIOD
A FINE GILT-LACQUERED WOOD FIGURE OF AMIDA NYORAI, EDO PERIOD
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve
The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005:
“No. 364, BR 1999, Japanese Edo Buddha gilded woof w. mandorla ”
Gallery price: EUR 2,300 or approx.
EUR 3,800 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing.
Japan, 18th-19th century. Of yosegi (joined) construction, superbly carved to depict Amida standing in samabhanga with his hands held in raigo-in, wearing a loose-fitting robe opening at the chest and cascading in voluminous folds, the serene face sensitively modeled with downcast eyes, elegantly arched brows centered by a crystal-inlaid byakugo (urna), and slender bow-shaped lips forming a subtle smile, flanked by pendulous lobes, the hair arranged in tight curls over the ushnisha with a crystal-inlaid nikkeishu (jewel of wisdom).
Amida stands atop a lotus pod encircled by overlapping petals raised on a compressed cloud-decorated base over a band of foliage, all supported on an elaborate tiered octagonal stand with balustrades and decorated with lotus leaves and petals, foliate designs, and brocade and geometric motifs. The deity is backed by a richly carved cloud-form kogai (aureole) with lotiform halo.
Provenance: Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen, 1999. Jorgen Ruben, acquired from the above. In the Jorgen Ruben Collection for 27 years.
Jorgen Ruben is a Danish art dealer and collector who has been active for over four decades and is highly regarded in the fields of Asian art and classical antiquities. Raised in an art-conscious family, Ruben was exposed early to both modern painting and European decorative arts. He began working in the art trade in the mid-1970s, first with Persian rugs and later with antiques, while travels to Iran and a visit to Persepolis sparked his lasting interest in antiquity. After studies in Copenhagen and London, he worked in England with a dealer in early furniture, before travelling widely in Latin America and Asia, deepening his knowledge of regional art and culture. In 1984 Ruben opened a gallery in Copenhagen dealing in Asian antiquities. He was later active in London and, in the early 2000s, operated the Brussels gallery Classic Art. Much of his career, however, has been conducted privately from home, selling by appointment to collectors, galleries, and museums. Ruben has always bought selectively, choosing only works that deeply engaged him, and often keeping them for many years until placing them with a collector he felt truly understood them.
Important Note: For essential information on the
Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger
Condition: Good condition with wear, few age cracks and fractures, small losses, extensive flaking and rubbing to gilding and pigments, some with associated touchups, as is to be expected. Small repairs and touchups to the feet, the kohai with an old repair. The various sections possibly reinforced.
Weight: 937 g
Dimensions: Height 50 cm
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Zacke, Vienna, 16 June 2023, lot 61
Price: EUR 11,700 or approx.
EUR 13,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt wood figure of Amida Nyorai, 18th-19th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, subject, and similar aureole and lotus throne. Note the larger size (78 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
A FINE GILT-LACQUERED WOOD FIGURE OF AMIDA NYORAI, EDO PERIOD
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve
The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005:
“No. 364, BR 1999, Japanese Edo Buddha gilded woof w. mandorla ”
Gallery price: EUR 2,300 or approx.
EUR 3,800 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing.
Japan, 18th-19th century. Of yosegi (joined) construction, superbly carved to depict Amida standing in samabhanga with his hands held in raigo-in, wearing a loose-fitting robe opening at the chest and cascading in voluminous folds, the serene face sensitively modeled with downcast eyes, elegantly arched brows centered by a crystal-inlaid byakugo (urna), and slender bow-shaped lips forming a subtle smile, flanked by pendulous lobes, the hair arranged in tight curls over the ushnisha with a crystal-inlaid nikkeishu (jewel of wisdom).
Amida stands atop a lotus pod encircled by overlapping petals raised on a compressed cloud-decorated base over a band of foliage, all supported on an elaborate tiered octagonal stand with balustrades and decorated with lotus leaves and petals, foliate designs, and brocade and geometric motifs. The deity is backed by a richly carved cloud-form kogai (aureole) with lotiform halo.
Provenance: Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen, 1999. Jorgen Ruben, acquired from the above. In the Jorgen Ruben Collection for 27 years.
Jorgen Ruben is a Danish art dealer and collector who has been active for over four decades and is highly regarded in the fields of Asian art and classical antiquities. Raised in an art-conscious family, Ruben was exposed early to both modern painting and European decorative arts. He began working in the art trade in the mid-1970s, first with Persian rugs and later with antiques, while travels to Iran and a visit to Persepolis sparked his lasting interest in antiquity. After studies in Copenhagen and London, he worked in England with a dealer in early furniture, before travelling widely in Latin America and Asia, deepening his knowledge of regional art and culture. In 1984 Ruben opened a gallery in Copenhagen dealing in Asian antiquities. He was later active in London and, in the early 2000s, operated the Brussels gallery Classic Art. Much of his career, however, has been conducted privately from home, selling by appointment to collectors, galleries, and museums. Ruben has always bought selectively, choosing only works that deeply engaged him, and often keeping them for many years until placing them with a collector he felt truly understood them.
Important Note: For essential information on the
Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger
Condition: Good condition with wear, few age cracks and fractures, small losses, extensive flaking and rubbing to gilding and pigments, some with associated touchups, as is to be expected. Small repairs and touchups to the feet, the kohai with an old repair. The various sections possibly reinforced.
Weight: 937 g
Dimensions: Height 50 cm
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Zacke, Vienna, 16 June 2023, lot 61
Price: EUR 11,700 or approx.
EUR 13,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt wood figure of Amida Nyorai, 18th-19th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, subject, and similar aureole and lotus throne. Note the larger size (78 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
