A LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF UMA, BAKHENG STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, 10TH CENTURY
A LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF UMA, BAKHENG STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, 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. 329, LA 1969, A. Maynard, Khmer Bakheng Uma 10th c.”
Gallery price: EUR 167,000 or approx.
EUR 279,000 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. Finely carved clad in a long, pleaded sampot secured with a belt suspending foliate tassels, folded over in front and the foliate hem forming a fishtail, the torso with incised folds of skin below the chest, the face crisply incised and carved with a serene expression, wide lips forming a calm smile, flanked by elongated earlobes adorned with foliate earrings, and the hair arranged in a high conical headdress with a flared tiara.
Provenance: Adrian Maynard, London, by 1969. 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, obvious losses, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations few minor fills, nicks, chips.
Weight: 53.3 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 102 cm (excl. stand), 107 cm (incl. stand)
With an associated stand. (2)
The Bakheng style refers to a phase in Khmer art and architecture during the reign of King Yasovarman I (r. 889-910), named after his state temple, Phnom Bakheng, near Angkor. It is considered the first fully developed Angkorian style and marks the transition from earlier pre-Angkorian traditions (like Prei Khmeng and Kulen styles) toward the monumental classic Angkor forms.
Khmer artists depicted the Hindu goddess Uma with regal stability. Here, she stands facing fully forward, her body neither twisting nor bending. Her long skirt (sampot) creates a strong columnar base. At the same time, her bare chest, pinched waist, and broad hips emphasize her femininity and fertility. Although the artists left upper bodies bare—as was conventional in Khmer dress—they carved intricate designs on the headdress and belt. These patterns, including leaves and flowers, are inspired by nature. Furthermore, the sculptor was clearly interested in the interplay of horizontals (such as the bands of the tiara and the lines of the brow, mouth, and upper edge of the skirt) with verticals (such the nose, the pleats of the skirt, and the pendants hanging from the belt). In contrast to these straight lines, the volumes of the torso and the lower skirt narrow and swell.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related sandstone figure of a devi, Bakheng style, dated 9th-10th century, in the Musée Guimet, Paris. Compare a related sandstone figure of a female Hindu deity, dated approx. 890-925, 132.1 cm high, in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, object number B68S19.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 10 December 2002, lot 137
Price: EUR 71,700 or approx.
EUR 123,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A fine Khmer, Angkor vat style, sandstone figure of Uma, 12th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar stance, curves, sampot, and headdress. Note the size (92 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 21 November 2001, lot 213
Price: EUR 41,125 or approx.
EUR 72,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An important Khmer, Bakheng style, sandstone figure of probably Uma, first quarter of 10th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, and size (106 cm).
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A LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF UMA, BAKHENG STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, 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. 329, LA 1969, A. Maynard, Khmer Bakheng Uma 10th c.”
Gallery price: EUR 167,000 or approx.
EUR 279,000 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. Finely carved clad in a long, pleaded sampot secured with a belt suspending foliate tassels, folded over in front and the foliate hem forming a fishtail, the torso with incised folds of skin below the chest, the face crisply incised and carved with a serene expression, wide lips forming a calm smile, flanked by elongated earlobes adorned with foliate earrings, and the hair arranged in a high conical headdress with a flared tiara.
Provenance: Adrian Maynard, London, by 1969. 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, obvious losses, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations few minor fills, nicks, chips.
Weight: 53.3 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 102 cm (excl. stand), 107 cm (incl. stand)
With an associated stand. (2)
The Bakheng style refers to a phase in Khmer art and architecture during the reign of King Yasovarman I (r. 889-910), named after his state temple, Phnom Bakheng, near Angkor. It is considered the first fully developed Angkorian style and marks the transition from earlier pre-Angkorian traditions (like Prei Khmeng and Kulen styles) toward the monumental classic Angkor forms.
Khmer artists depicted the Hindu goddess Uma with regal stability. Here, she stands facing fully forward, her body neither twisting nor bending. Her long skirt (sampot) creates a strong columnar base. At the same time, her bare chest, pinched waist, and broad hips emphasize her femininity and fertility. Although the artists left upper bodies bare—as was conventional in Khmer dress—they carved intricate designs on the headdress and belt. These patterns, including leaves and flowers, are inspired by nature. Furthermore, the sculptor was clearly interested in the interplay of horizontals (such as the bands of the tiara and the lines of the brow, mouth, and upper edge of the skirt) with verticals (such the nose, the pleats of the skirt, and the pendants hanging from the belt). In contrast to these straight lines, the volumes of the torso and the lower skirt narrow and swell.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related sandstone figure of a devi, Bakheng style, dated 9th-10th century, in the Musée Guimet, Paris. Compare a related sandstone figure of a female Hindu deity, dated approx. 890-925, 132.1 cm high, in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, object number B68S19.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 10 December 2002, lot 137
Price: EUR 71,700 or approx.
EUR 123,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A fine Khmer, Angkor vat style, sandstone figure of Uma, 12th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar stance, curves, sampot, and headdress. Note the size (92 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 21 November 2001, lot 213
Price: EUR 41,125 or approx.
EUR 72,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An important Khmer, Bakheng style, sandstone figure of probably Uma, first quarter of 10th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, and size (106 cm).
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Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
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