A LARGE (129 CM) SANDSTONE FIGURE OF DEVI, SAMBOR PREI KUK STYLE, PRE-ANGKOR PERIOD, KINGDOM OF

A LARGE (129 CM) SANDSTONE FIGURE OF DEVI, SAMBOR PREI KUK STYLE, PRE-ANGKOR PERIOD, KINGDOM OF CHENLA, 7TH-8TH CENTURY

Superbly carved, depicted standing firmly in samabhanga upon a small pedestal, with the feet set slightly apart. The arms hang naturally beside the torso, the left hand holding a water vessel (kamandalu) and the right a rosary of large beads (akshamala). The figure is clad in a diaphanous sampot, secured at the waist with a long central knot that falls between the legs and terminates in a distinctive fishtail hem.

The serene face with almond-shaped eyes, a broad nose, and full lips forming a gentle smile, flanked by long pendulous earlobes. The hair is carefully arranged in a high chignon secured by a circlet. The sculpture is framed by surviving fragments of the stone back-slab and supporting arch.

Provenance: A private collection in the United Kingdom, formed between 1975 and 1985 and acquired on the London art and antiques market. Albert Strang, Argyle Antiques, London, by 1989. A private collection in the United Kingdom, acquired from the above and thence by descent in the family. A copy of the invoice from Argyle Antiques, written and signed by Albert Strang, and dated 12 September 1989, accompanies the lot.

Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, with expected wear, natural imperfections, signs of weathering and erosion, obvious losses, a small fracture at the junction of the right hand and body, possibly with an old restoration, old fills, and areas of surface scaling. The stone has developed a rich, naturally grown dark patina.

Weight: 80.7 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 129.2 cm (excl. stand), 151.8 cm (incl. stand)

With an old fitted wood stand. (2)

The Khmer Empire controlled Cambodia as well as large areas of Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos from the sixth to the fifteenth centuries. Khmer sculpture of the pre-Angkor period is unsurpassed in its grace and spirituality, its remarkable naturalism of anatomy and stance, and its restraint in decoration. The present image with its delicately modeled musculature, supple articulation of limbs, and slender torso draped in a deceptively simple sampot, is characteristic of the finest pre-Angkor style.

Sambor Prei Kuk is an archaeological site in Cambodia, located in Kampong Thom Province, approximately 30 km north of Kampong Thom and 176 km east of Angkor. The now-ruined complex dates to the pre-Angkorian kingdom of Chenla, from the late sixth to the ninth century, and was established by Isanavarman I as the principal royal sanctuary and capital, then known as Isanapura.

The supporting arch, still intact in the upper part of the sculpture, originally encircled the goddess, connecting the arms to the head. This feature reflects the careful craftsmanship and precautions taken by sculptors during the pre-Angkorian period.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related sandstone figure of Devi of similar size (127 cm), attributed by Jean Boisselier to the Sambor Prei Kuk style and dated to the mid-7th century, in the National Museum of Cambodia, accession number Ka.1621. Compare a related sandstone figure of Vishnu, dated 7th century, 142 cm high, in the National Museum of Cambodia, accession number Ka.2576.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 12 October 2004, lot 151
Price: EUR 11,352 or approx.

EUR 18,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A pre-Angkor sandstone figure of a male deity, circa 7th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of carving and modeling of this male figure holding the same attributes as the current goddess. Note the

much smaller size (55.5 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 13 September 2016, lot 249
Price: USD 21,250 or approx.

EUR 27,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A grey sandstone figure of Durga, 6th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of carving and modeling of this figure of Durga. Note the

much smaller size (51.5 cm).

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