A LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF GANESHA, KOH KER STYLE, 10TH CENTURY
A LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF GANESHA, KOH KER STYLE, 10TH CENTURY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve
The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005:
“No. 182, LA 1968, Adrian Maynard, Khmer Koh Ker Ganesha 10th c.”
Gallery price: EUR 45,000 or approx.
EUR 75,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing.
The ledger establishes that this object was located in Europe before the UNESCO 1970 Convention entered into force.
Khmer Empire. Boldly carved seated on a rectangular base with the legs crossed in a composed, meditative posture, the deity holds a broken tusk in one hand and a bowl of sweets in the other. The pot-bellied body is clad in a finely rendered sampot, its flange curling elegantly. The reverse is embellished by a distinctive butterfly-shaped element. The elephant head is crisply defined, with short tusks and a gently curling trunk, flanked by broad, fanned ears, and a tall foliate tiara rising above.
Provenance: Adrian Maynard, London, by 1968. Collection of Leo Albrecht, Denmark, acquired from the above. Jorgen Ruben, acquired from the above before 2005. In the Jorgen Ruben Collection for at least 21 years.
Adrian Maynard joined Spink & Sons in 1947, where he was appointed Director from 1962 and eventually Deputy Chairman until his retirement in 1984. He was a man of enormous drive and undoubtedly the most flamboyant character to take charge of the Asian art department, which he took to the height of its success. Maynard believed firmly that "a dealer, whose fortune and good name depends on knowing what to buy, has a much greater responsibility to be right about the objects that come into his hands than, say, an academic, who never handles large sums of money.”
Leo Albrecht was a German-born publisher and literary agent who established himself in Copenhagen after the Second World War. In 1951 he founded his agency, which played an important role in expanding the international market for Scandinavian literature. He began collecting art in the late 1950s, with a particular focus on Asian sculpture. In Copenhagen, he spent much of his time visiting antique dealers, museums, and exhibitions. He developed especially close ties with Ole Haslund, Lau Sunde, and Freddy Hansen, among the most prominent dealers in their fields. He also traveled frequently to London, where he became close friends with Adrian Maynard. Jorgen Ruben first met Albrecht in 1984, and they quickly became close friends. Ruben later described him as a gentleman and “the greatest collector of Asian art in Denmark.” He acquired Albrecht's entire Asian sculpture collection when Albrecht moved back to Germany after selling his publishing company. The two remained close, with Albrecht continuing to visit Denmark each summer and staying at the Ruben family's beach house north of Copenhagen.
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 expected wear, signs of weathering and erosion, old chips and small losses, old repair to the left ear.
Weight: 98.8 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 95 cm (excl. stand, incl. tang), 97 cm (incl. stand)
With an associated modern stand. (2)
The Koh Ker temple complex, approximately 80 km northeast of Angkor, was the capital of the Khmer Empire from 928 to 944, under the kings Jayavarman IV and Harshavarman II. Koh Ker's sculptural style is distinct from those developed in Angkor's immediate vicinity. The stone sculpture, often monumental in size, is imbued with a heightened sense of movement and a suppleness of form. The broad flap of pleated fabric that hangs over the sash at the waist, a fashion which first appeared in the last quarter of the ninth century, then became the convention in the tenth century during the Koh Ker period and can also be seen on male figures from Banteay Srei. The Koh Ker style would play a pivotal role in shaping the later Angkor Wat aesthetic, superseding the softer contours and more sensual qualities of the Baphuon. As Martin Lerner observes, for a “ruler concerned with martial campaigns and responsible for such a gigantic personal monument as Angkor Wat, the Baphuon figural style may have appeared too consciously unheroic and sensuous.” (Ancient Khmer Sculpture, New York, 1994, p. 46)
A popular Hindu deity,
Ganesha was introduced to Cambodian artists in the 7th century. Over the next five centuries, India's chubby elephant icon was transformed into a sleek, anthropomorphic figure. Ganesha is known by many other names, the most common ones being Ganapati, Vinayaka, Vighanapati, Balachandra, and Vighaneshvara. He has two sons, Ksema (meaning prosperity; he is also called Subha, auspiciousness), and Labha (profit).
Literature comparison:
Compare the closely related famous Koh Ker Ganesha, believed to originate from Prasat Bak Temple in Koh Ker, and now in the National Museum of Cambodia. Compare a closely related sandstone figure of Ganesha, 70.5 cm high, dated to the 10th century, in the Birmingham Museum of Art, accession number 1978.73.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Zacke, Vienna, 16 April 2026, lot 204
Price:
EUR 20,800 at the time of writing
Description: A sandstone figure of Ganesha, Angkor period, Angkor Wat style, 12th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar pose, adornments, and sampot. Note the smaller size (78 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 8 May 2001, lot 585
Price: NLG 41,125 or approx.
EUR 32,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Khmer, Angkor Vat style, sandstone figure of Ganesha, 12th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar pose, adornments, and sampot. Note the much smaller size (37 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
A LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF GANESHA, KOH KER STYLE, 10TH CENTURY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve
The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005:
“No. 182, LA 1968, Adrian Maynard, Khmer Koh Ker Ganesha 10th c.”
Gallery price: EUR 45,000 or approx.
EUR 75,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing.
The ledger establishes that this object was located in Europe before the UNESCO 1970 Convention entered into force.
Khmer Empire. Boldly carved seated on a rectangular base with the legs crossed in a composed, meditative posture, the deity holds a broken tusk in one hand and a bowl of sweets in the other. The pot-bellied body is clad in a finely rendered sampot, its flange curling elegantly. The reverse is embellished by a distinctive butterfly-shaped element. The elephant head is crisply defined, with short tusks and a gently curling trunk, flanked by broad, fanned ears, and a tall foliate tiara rising above.
Provenance: Adrian Maynard, London, by 1968. Collection of Leo Albrecht, Denmark, acquired from the above. Jorgen Ruben, acquired from the above before 2005. In the Jorgen Ruben Collection for at least 21 years.
Adrian Maynard joined Spink & Sons in 1947, where he was appointed Director from 1962 and eventually Deputy Chairman until his retirement in 1984. He was a man of enormous drive and undoubtedly the most flamboyant character to take charge of the Asian art department, which he took to the height of its success. Maynard believed firmly that "a dealer, whose fortune and good name depends on knowing what to buy, has a much greater responsibility to be right about the objects that come into his hands than, say, an academic, who never handles large sums of money.”
Leo Albrecht was a German-born publisher and literary agent who established himself in Copenhagen after the Second World War. In 1951 he founded his agency, which played an important role in expanding the international market for Scandinavian literature. He began collecting art in the late 1950s, with a particular focus on Asian sculpture. In Copenhagen, he spent much of his time visiting antique dealers, museums, and exhibitions. He developed especially close ties with Ole Haslund, Lau Sunde, and Freddy Hansen, among the most prominent dealers in their fields. He also traveled frequently to London, where he became close friends with Adrian Maynard. Jorgen Ruben first met Albrecht in 1984, and they quickly became close friends. Ruben later described him as a gentleman and “the greatest collector of Asian art in Denmark.” He acquired Albrecht's entire Asian sculpture collection when Albrecht moved back to Germany after selling his publishing company. The two remained close, with Albrecht continuing to visit Denmark each summer and staying at the Ruben family's beach house north of Copenhagen.
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 expected wear, signs of weathering and erosion, old chips and small losses, old repair to the left ear.
Weight: 98.8 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 95 cm (excl. stand, incl. tang), 97 cm (incl. stand)
With an associated modern stand. (2)
The Koh Ker temple complex, approximately 80 km northeast of Angkor, was the capital of the Khmer Empire from 928 to 944, under the kings Jayavarman IV and Harshavarman II. Koh Ker's sculptural style is distinct from those developed in Angkor's immediate vicinity. The stone sculpture, often monumental in size, is imbued with a heightened sense of movement and a suppleness of form. The broad flap of pleated fabric that hangs over the sash at the waist, a fashion which first appeared in the last quarter of the ninth century, then became the convention in the tenth century during the Koh Ker period and can also be seen on male figures from Banteay Srei. The Koh Ker style would play a pivotal role in shaping the later Angkor Wat aesthetic, superseding the softer contours and more sensual qualities of the Baphuon. As Martin Lerner observes, for a “ruler concerned with martial campaigns and responsible for such a gigantic personal monument as Angkor Wat, the Baphuon figural style may have appeared too consciously unheroic and sensuous.” (Ancient Khmer Sculpture, New York, 1994, p. 46)
A popular Hindu deity,
Ganesha was introduced to Cambodian artists in the 7th century. Over the next five centuries, India's chubby elephant icon was transformed into a sleek, anthropomorphic figure. Ganesha is known by many other names, the most common ones being Ganapati, Vinayaka, Vighanapati, Balachandra, and Vighaneshvara. He has two sons, Ksema (meaning prosperity; he is also called Subha, auspiciousness), and Labha (profit).
Literature comparison:
Compare the closely related famous Koh Ker Ganesha, believed to originate from Prasat Bak Temple in Koh Ker, and now in the National Museum of Cambodia. Compare a closely related sandstone figure of Ganesha, 70.5 cm high, dated to the 10th century, in the Birmingham Museum of Art, accession number 1978.73.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Zacke, Vienna, 16 April 2026, lot 204
Price:
EUR 20,800 at the time of writing
Description: A sandstone figure of Ganesha, Angkor period, Angkor Wat style, 12th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar pose, adornments, and sampot. Note the smaller size (78 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 8 May 2001, lot 585
Price: NLG 41,125 or approx.
EUR 32,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Khmer, Angkor Vat style, sandstone figure of Ganesha, 12th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar pose, adornments, and sampot. Note the much smaller size (37 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
