A SANDSTONE FIGURE OF GANESHA, KOH KER STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, 10TH CENTURY
A SANDSTONE FIGURE OF GANESHA, KOH KER 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. 184, LA 1967, A. Maynard, Khmer Koh Ker Ganesha, 10th c."
Gallery price: EUR 19,500 or approx.
EUR 32,500 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. Seated in dhyanasana on a rounded base, both hands resting on his knees and holding a modak and tusk, wearing striated sampot with flange curling over the plain belt, the reverse with butterfly-shaped element, pot-bellied, trunk and short tusks, his face incised with almond-shaped eyes, flanked by large ears, and an ornate crown set on top of his head.
Provenance: Adrian Maynard, London, by 1967. 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, extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion, small chips, structural cracks, chips, nicks, and scratches.
Weight: 35.1 kg
Dimensions: Height 47.5 cm (excl. stand), 50.3 cm (incl. stand)
With an associated wood stand. (2)
Koh Ker, which lies 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Angkor, was the capital of the Khmer Empire from 928-944. Koh Ker's sculptural style is thus 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 Koh Ker rulers adhered to the Hindu religion, especially the Shaiva sect.
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 a closely related larger sandstone figure of Ganesha from the Koh Ker complex, photographed by French archeologists in 1934.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 14 October 2004, lot 161
Price: EUR 10,755 or approx.
EUR 18,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Khmer rose sandstone figure of Ganesha, circa 11th century
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling and manner of carving. Note the closely related size (48 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
A SANDSTONE FIGURE OF GANESHA, KOH KER 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. 184, LA 1967, A. Maynard, Khmer Koh Ker Ganesha, 10th c."
Gallery price: EUR 19,500 or approx.
EUR 32,500 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. Seated in dhyanasana on a rounded base, both hands resting on his knees and holding a modak and tusk, wearing striated sampot with flange curling over the plain belt, the reverse with butterfly-shaped element, pot-bellied, trunk and short tusks, his face incised with almond-shaped eyes, flanked by large ears, and an ornate crown set on top of his head.
Provenance: Adrian Maynard, London, by 1967. 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, extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion, small chips, structural cracks, chips, nicks, and scratches.
Weight: 35.1 kg
Dimensions: Height 47.5 cm (excl. stand), 50.3 cm (incl. stand)
With an associated wood stand. (2)
Koh Ker, which lies 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Angkor, was the capital of the Khmer Empire from 928-944. Koh Ker's sculptural style is thus 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 Koh Ker rulers adhered to the Hindu religion, especially the Shaiva sect.
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 a closely related larger sandstone figure of Ganesha from the Koh Ker complex, photographed by French archeologists in 1934.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 14 October 2004, lot 161
Price: EUR 10,755 or approx.
EUR 18,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Khmer rose sandstone figure of Ganesha, circa 11th century
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling and manner of carving. Note the closely related size (48 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
