A SANDSTONE HEAD OF A BODHISATTVA, CENTRAL INDIA, CIRCA 9TH-10TH CENTURY

A SANDSTONE HEAD OF A BODHISATTVA, CENTRAL INDIA, CIRCA 9TH-10TH CENTURY

Finely carved in high relief, the deity's serene face sensitively modeled with broad rounded cheeks and a softly tapering chin, the heavy-lidded almond-shaped eyes beneath elegantly arched brows joined above the long straight nose, and the full lips forming a subtle smile. The elongated ears are adorned with large earrings, while the hair is gathered beneath an exceptionally elaborate and towering headdress enclosing a diminutive deity seated in lalitasana.

Provenance: Collection of Guy Maréchal, Belgium, thence by direct descent to his son Olivier Maréchal.

Guy Maréchal (1949-2025) was a Belgian entrepreneur whose unconventional industrial and financial career laid the groundwork for the formation of his Asian art collection. After beginning his professional life as an officer in the Belgian army, he went on to achieve significant success as an independent insurance broker. In the mid-1990s and early 2000s, Maréchal redirected his expertise toward the Asian art market. He sourced works directly in China and India, particularly in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, supplying French auction houses. Following a major health event in 2006, Guy Maréchal withdrew from commercial activity to become an author and public speaker. He published several works, including Rescapé de la Mort, recounting his recovery after a 51-day coma.

Olivier Maréchal (b. 1973) is a noted Belgian collector and dealer specializing in the arts of India, Vietnam, and Thailand. He began his career in the mid-1990s, learning from his father who helped him with his first purchases. He later managed Surya Gallery in Brussels, Belgium.

Condition: Good condition with expected old wear, obvious losses, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations, nicks, and small chips. The face exceptionally well preserved, particularly the intact nose and finely delineated eyes and lips.

Weight: 11.4 (excl. stand), 14.2 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 34 cm (excl. stand), 44.5 cm (incl. stand)

With a modern metal stand. (2)

Literature comparison:
Compare a related stone head of Avalokiteshvara from Ratnagiri, Odisha, dated to the 9th century, measuring 34.3 x 17.8 x 17.8 cm, in the Norton Simon Museum, accession no. F.1975.11.2.S. Compare a related sandstone head of Vishnu from Khajuraho, Chhatarpur district, northern Madhya Pradesh, dated to the second half of the 10th-first half of the 11th century, 37 cm high, in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, accession no. EA1995.73. Compare a related monumental buff sandstone figure of Avalokiteshvara, dated to the 10th century and attributed to Madhya Pradesh or Uttar Pradesh, possibly Gwalior, 220 cm high, in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, accession no. 29.2003. Compare a related earlier sandstone head of Avalokiteshvara, dated to the Gupta period, 5th century, in the Musée Guimet, inventory number MG18646.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 21 September 2007, lot 68
Price: USD 8,750 or approx.

EUR 12,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A buff sandstone head of a deity, India, Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan, 11th-12th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar facial features, hair curls, and size (31.7 cm).

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