A LARGE BRONZE FIGURE OF PARVATI, SOUTH INDIA, LATE VIJAYANAGARA PERIOD, 16TH-17TH CENTURY
A LARGE BRONZE FIGURE OF PARVATI, SOUTH INDIA, LATE VIJAYANAGARA PERIOD, 16TH-17TH CENTURY
Finely cast, the goddess standing in an elegant tribhanga upon a circular lotus pedestal raised on a waisted square plinth, her right hand raised to hold the stem of a lotus, and the left arm extended alongside the body.
She is clad in a long dhoti finely incised throughout with circular floral motifs and secured at the waist by an elaborate girdle with pendent sashes. Her voluptuous body is richly adorned with layered necklaces, armlets, bracelets, snake-form anklets, and large makara-form earrings.
The sensitively modeled face bears a serene expression, with elongated almond-shaped eyes beneath arched brows, a slender nose, and full lips forming a subtle smile, surmounted by a tall, multi-tiered conical headdress intricately worked with bands of foliate and geometric ornament.
Provenance: From a private collection near Paris, France.
Condition: Very good condition with expected wear, casting irregularities, fatigue cracks to the base and shirashchakra on the back, traces of weathering, and encrustations. The attachment of the figure to the base has been professionally stabilized. The bronze with a rich, naturally grown dark patina.
Weight: 17.2 kg
Dimensions: Height 62.5 cm
The Vijayanagara style was greatly influenced by the preceding Chola Dynasty, famed for its extravagant temples and naturalistic, vibrant bronzes. While later Vijayanagara bronzes are similar to those of the Chola Period, the Vijayanagara figures are slightly more stylized. Vijayanagara bronzes are known for their sharp delineations between sections of the body, evinced here by the dramatically narrow waist separating the chest and abdomen. Additionally, the large wide eyes and sharp narrow nose are also typical of bronzes of this period. Compare two closely related earlier Chola bronze figures of Parvati at Christie's New York, 11 September 2019, lot 327; and Christie's New York, 16 September 2008, lot 427.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related bronze figure of Parvati with similar snake-form anklets, Tamil Nadu, dated 1400-1500, 74 cm high, in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, object number AK-MAK-188. Compare a closely related bronze figure of Lakshmi, dated 14th century, 55.9 cm high, illustrated by A&J Speelman on their website.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 22 September 2021, lot 447
Price: USD 387,500 or approx.
EUR 410,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large bronze figure of Shri Devi, South India, Tamil Nadu, Vijayanagara period, 15th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of casting. Note the size (70.5 cm).
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A LARGE BRONZE FIGURE OF PARVATI, SOUTH INDIA, LATE VIJAYANAGARA PERIOD, 16TH-17TH CENTURY
Finely cast, the goddess standing in an elegant tribhanga upon a circular lotus pedestal raised on a waisted square plinth, her right hand raised to hold the stem of a lotus, and the left arm extended alongside the body.
She is clad in a long dhoti finely incised throughout with circular floral motifs and secured at the waist by an elaborate girdle with pendent sashes. Her voluptuous body is richly adorned with layered necklaces, armlets, bracelets, snake-form anklets, and large makara-form earrings.
The sensitively modeled face bears a serene expression, with elongated almond-shaped eyes beneath arched brows, a slender nose, and full lips forming a subtle smile, surmounted by a tall, multi-tiered conical headdress intricately worked with bands of foliate and geometric ornament.
Provenance: From a private collection near Paris, France.
Condition: Very good condition with expected wear, casting irregularities, fatigue cracks to the base and shirashchakra on the back, traces of weathering, and encrustations. The attachment of the figure to the base has been professionally stabilized. The bronze with a rich, naturally grown dark patina.
Weight: 17.2 kg
Dimensions: Height 62.5 cm
The Vijayanagara style was greatly influenced by the preceding Chola Dynasty, famed for its extravagant temples and naturalistic, vibrant bronzes. While later Vijayanagara bronzes are similar to those of the Chola Period, the Vijayanagara figures are slightly more stylized. Vijayanagara bronzes are known for their sharp delineations between sections of the body, evinced here by the dramatically narrow waist separating the chest and abdomen. Additionally, the large wide eyes and sharp narrow nose are also typical of bronzes of this period. Compare two closely related earlier Chola bronze figures of Parvati at Christie's New York, 11 September 2019, lot 327; and Christie's New York, 16 September 2008, lot 427.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related bronze figure of Parvati with similar snake-form anklets, Tamil Nadu, dated 1400-1500, 74 cm high, in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, object number AK-MAK-188. Compare a closely related bronze figure of Lakshmi, dated 14th century, 55.9 cm high, illustrated by A&J Speelman on their website.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 22 September 2021, lot 447
Price: USD 387,500 or approx.
EUR 410,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large bronze figure of Shri Devi, South India, Tamil Nadu, Vijayanagara period, 15th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of casting. Note the size (70.5 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
