A RARE AND IMPORTANT SANDSTONE FIGURE OF VISHNU, BAPHUON STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, 11TH CENTURY
A RARE AND IMPORTANT SANDSTONE FIGURE OF VISHNU, BAPHUON STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, 11TH CENTURY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve
Khmer Empire, Cambodia. Dexterously carved, depicted standing in samabhanga on a rectangular pedestal, resting his primary left hand upon a faceted mace, while the remaining hands hold his distinctive attributes. The four-armed deity clad in a short, pleated sampot, tied at the front below the navel, its folds fanning across the left thigh and secured at the waist. The face, serene in expression, sensitively modeled with almond-shaped eyes beneath gently arched brows, a broad nose, and full lips forming a subtle smile, all flanked by long, pendulous earlobes. The hair arranged in an elaborate conical chignon, secured by a foliate tiara.
Provenance: Adrian Maynard, London, by 1970/71. 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. The provenance establishes that this object was located in Europe before the UNESCO 1970 Convention entered into force.
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: Very good condition with expected wear, traces of weathering and erosion, minor losses, some of the forearms and hands with old repairs, old smoothed chips, and occasional scratches. The stone with a fine, naturally grown, smooth patina overall.
Weight: 19.2 kg (excl. stand), 28.2 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 77.5 cm (excl. stand), 96.2 cm (incl. stand)
With an associated wood stand. (2)
The Baphuon period is widely regarded as the pinnacle in the depiction of both male and female forms in Khmer art. Building on developments of the previous half-century, artists of this period introduced a range of stylistic refinements that enabled the deities of this era to appear strikingly idealized: male figures are rendered as strong and well-proportioned, while female figures are imbued with sensuality and grace. This exceptional image of Vishnu exemplifies such qualities, presenting an elegant and highly naturalistic interpretation of the deity in idealized human form, consistent with his role as Preserver of the Universe.
In the present example, the grace and delicacy with which the figure is conceived and executed are particularly notable. The slightly bent knees introduce a subtle sense of movement into what is otherwise a static posture. The elaborately carved sampot contrasts with the smoothness of the body, draped around the hips of the male deity and forming a gentle V-shape below the navel, with refined, flowing folds beneath the belt. The double anchor-shaped textile element between the legs, well attested in earlier periods, disappears in this phase, as seen here, though it reappears in the subsequent Angkor Wat style.
Expert's note: Although this figure is portrayed with Shiva's third eye (tri-locana), it represents the Hindu god Vishnu, identified by the conch shell in the upper-left hand. It was not uncommon for Khmer images of deities to be altered during periods of religious change or at the beginning of a new regnal cycle. Such interventions allowed rulers to distinguish their religious and political identities from those of their predecessors. For another example of Vishnu portrayed with Shiva's third eye, see a closely related figure in the Norton Simon Museum, California, accession number M.2004.1.S.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related sandstone figure of Vishnu, Cambodia, Angkor period, 12th century, in the Tokyo National Museum, collection reference number TC-382.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Paris, 11 December 2013, lot 348
Price: EUR 121,500 or approx.
EUR 161,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare and important polished sandstone figure of Vishnu, Cambodia, Khmer, Baphuon style, 11th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, and stone, with similar face, crown, sampot, and physique. Note the similar size (66 cm).
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A RARE AND IMPORTANT SANDSTONE FIGURE OF VISHNU, BAPHUON STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, 11TH CENTURY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve
Khmer Empire, Cambodia. Dexterously carved, depicted standing in samabhanga on a rectangular pedestal, resting his primary left hand upon a faceted mace, while the remaining hands hold his distinctive attributes. The four-armed deity clad in a short, pleated sampot, tied at the front below the navel, its folds fanning across the left thigh and secured at the waist. The face, serene in expression, sensitively modeled with almond-shaped eyes beneath gently arched brows, a broad nose, and full lips forming a subtle smile, all flanked by long, pendulous earlobes. The hair arranged in an elaborate conical chignon, secured by a foliate tiara.
Provenance: Adrian Maynard, London, by 1970/71. 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. The provenance establishes that this object was located in Europe before the UNESCO 1970 Convention entered into force.
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: Very good condition with expected wear, traces of weathering and erosion, minor losses, some of the forearms and hands with old repairs, old smoothed chips, and occasional scratches. The stone with a fine, naturally grown, smooth patina overall.
Weight: 19.2 kg (excl. stand), 28.2 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 77.5 cm (excl. stand), 96.2 cm (incl. stand)
With an associated wood stand. (2)
The Baphuon period is widely regarded as the pinnacle in the depiction of both male and female forms in Khmer art. Building on developments of the previous half-century, artists of this period introduced a range of stylistic refinements that enabled the deities of this era to appear strikingly idealized: male figures are rendered as strong and well-proportioned, while female figures are imbued with sensuality and grace. This exceptional image of Vishnu exemplifies such qualities, presenting an elegant and highly naturalistic interpretation of the deity in idealized human form, consistent with his role as Preserver of the Universe.
In the present example, the grace and delicacy with which the figure is conceived and executed are particularly notable. The slightly bent knees introduce a subtle sense of movement into what is otherwise a static posture. The elaborately carved sampot contrasts with the smoothness of the body, draped around the hips of the male deity and forming a gentle V-shape below the navel, with refined, flowing folds beneath the belt. The double anchor-shaped textile element between the legs, well attested in earlier periods, disappears in this phase, as seen here, though it reappears in the subsequent Angkor Wat style.
Expert's note: Although this figure is portrayed with Shiva's third eye (tri-locana), it represents the Hindu god Vishnu, identified by the conch shell in the upper-left hand. It was not uncommon for Khmer images of deities to be altered during periods of religious change or at the beginning of a new regnal cycle. Such interventions allowed rulers to distinguish their religious and political identities from those of their predecessors. For another example of Vishnu portrayed with Shiva's third eye, see a closely related figure in the Norton Simon Museum, California, accession number M.2004.1.S.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related sandstone figure of Vishnu, Cambodia, Angkor period, 12th century, in the Tokyo National Museum, collection reference number TC-382.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Paris, 11 December 2013, lot 348
Price: EUR 121,500 or approx.
EUR 161,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare and important polished sandstone figure of Vishnu, Cambodia, Khmer, Baphuon style, 11th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, and stone, with similar face, crown, sampot, and physique. Note the similar size (66 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
