A VERY RARE KHMER SANDSTONE FIGURE OF VISHNU, BAKONG STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, LATE 9TH CENTURY
A VERY RARE KHMER SANDSTONE FIGURE OF VISHNU, BAKONG STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, LATE 9TH CENTURY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve
The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005:
“No. 333, A. Maynard, LA 1971, Khmer Bakong Roluos 10th c. Vishnu .”
Gallery price: EUR 74,000 or approx.
EUR 124,000 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.
Finely carved standing in samabhanga, clad in a knee-length sampot, its elegantly rendered fishtail pleats finely incised and cascading toward the front, secured at the waist by a sash. The well-defined torso left bare, articulated by a subtly incised navel. The finely modeled face conveys a serene and benevolent expression, with almond-shaped eyes beneath gently arched brows, a prominent nose, and full lips forming a composed smile, further distinguished by a delicate moustache, all flanked by long, pendulous earlobes. The hair neatly arranged in a columnar chignon behind a flaring tiara composed of foliate petals.
Provenance: Adrian Maynard, London, by 1971. 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: Very good condition with old wear, expected traces of weathering and erosion, obvious losses, and few smoothed chips. The back of one leg with a minor old repair. The stone with a fine, naturally grown patina.
Weight: 30.6 kg
Dimensions: Height 81.5 cm (excl. stand), 91.3 cm (incl. stand)
With an associated metal stand. (2)
Bakong, the great stepped-pyramid temple and mausoleum built by Indravarman I (r. 877-889), gives its name to the style of sculpture from this period. It is noted for being iconic and heavily proportioned, with a strong sense of authority conveying the ideas of universal kingship just beginning to become prevalent in Southeast Asia. The voluminous form encapsulates the concept of the body as container of the prana (sacred breath), and the diaphragm expansion is almost visible here.
The form of headdress, with upright foliate petals, and the towering chignon with lappet-like locks are also seen in a head of Harihara from Preah Ko (see literature comparison below). Both temples belong to the Roluos Group, built in the late ninth century by Indravarman and his successor Yasovarman I in Hariharalaya, the first capital of the Khmer Empire near present-day Siem Reap. The Roluos Group are some of the earliest permanent structures built by the Khmer polities, marking the beginning of the classical period of Khmer civilization. Some were entirely built with brick, others partially with laterite or sandstone.
Bakong sculpture is the first to be carved completely in the round, dispensing with the supporting arch previously used to reinforce the structure—an innovative development during this period and a significant departure from the Indian model. There are few examples of almost complete Bakong sculptures where the drapery and the headdress are so well preserved,
making the present lot extremely rare.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related sandstone head of Harihara with similar crown and chignon, 39 cm high, Preah Ko style, dated late 9th century, sold at Sotheby's London, June 1985, donated to the Honolulu Academy of Arts in the 1990s, and now in the National Museum of Cambodia, inventory number Ka.2932. Compare a closely related sandstone figure of Shiva, Bakong style, late 9th century, 187 cm high, in the National Museum of Cambodia, inventory number Ka.1648.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's New York, 22 March 2011, lot 266
Price: USD 74,500 or approx.
EUR 96,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A standing figure of Avalokiteshvara, Khmer, Angkor period, Koh Ker style, 10th century
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, manner of carving, and stone. Note the similar size (87 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby's New York, 19 September 2008, lot 292
Price: USD 266,500 or approx.
EUR 352,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Male deity, probably Vishnu, sandstone, Khmer, style of the Bakong
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, manner of carving, and stone. Note the larger size (117 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
A VERY RARE KHMER SANDSTONE FIGURE OF VISHNU, BAKONG STYLE, ANGKOR PERIOD, LATE 9TH CENTURY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve
The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005:
“No. 333, A. Maynard, LA 1971, Khmer Bakong Roluos 10th c. Vishnu .”
Gallery price: EUR 74,000 or approx.
EUR 124,000 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.
Finely carved standing in samabhanga, clad in a knee-length sampot, its elegantly rendered fishtail pleats finely incised and cascading toward the front, secured at the waist by a sash. The well-defined torso left bare, articulated by a subtly incised navel. The finely modeled face conveys a serene and benevolent expression, with almond-shaped eyes beneath gently arched brows, a prominent nose, and full lips forming a composed smile, further distinguished by a delicate moustache, all flanked by long, pendulous earlobes. The hair neatly arranged in a columnar chignon behind a flaring tiara composed of foliate petals.
Provenance: Adrian Maynard, London, by 1971. 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: Very good condition with old wear, expected traces of weathering and erosion, obvious losses, and few smoothed chips. The back of one leg with a minor old repair. The stone with a fine, naturally grown patina.
Weight: 30.6 kg
Dimensions: Height 81.5 cm (excl. stand), 91.3 cm (incl. stand)
With an associated metal stand. (2)
Bakong, the great stepped-pyramid temple and mausoleum built by Indravarman I (r. 877-889), gives its name to the style of sculpture from this period. It is noted for being iconic and heavily proportioned, with a strong sense of authority conveying the ideas of universal kingship just beginning to become prevalent in Southeast Asia. The voluminous form encapsulates the concept of the body as container of the prana (sacred breath), and the diaphragm expansion is almost visible here.
The form of headdress, with upright foliate petals, and the towering chignon with lappet-like locks are also seen in a head of Harihara from Preah Ko (see literature comparison below). Both temples belong to the Roluos Group, built in the late ninth century by Indravarman and his successor Yasovarman I in Hariharalaya, the first capital of the Khmer Empire near present-day Siem Reap. The Roluos Group are some of the earliest permanent structures built by the Khmer polities, marking the beginning of the classical period of Khmer civilization. Some were entirely built with brick, others partially with laterite or sandstone.
Bakong sculpture is the first to be carved completely in the round, dispensing with the supporting arch previously used to reinforce the structure—an innovative development during this period and a significant departure from the Indian model. There are few examples of almost complete Bakong sculptures where the drapery and the headdress are so well preserved,
making the present lot extremely rare.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related sandstone head of Harihara with similar crown and chignon, 39 cm high, Preah Ko style, dated late 9th century, sold at Sotheby's London, June 1985, donated to the Honolulu Academy of Arts in the 1990s, and now in the National Museum of Cambodia, inventory number Ka.2932. Compare a closely related sandstone figure of Shiva, Bakong style, late 9th century, 187 cm high, in the National Museum of Cambodia, inventory number Ka.1648.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's New York, 22 March 2011, lot 266
Price: USD 74,500 or approx.
EUR 96,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A standing figure of Avalokiteshvara, Khmer, Angkor period, Koh Ker style, 10th century
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, manner of carving, and stone. Note the similar size (87 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby's New York, 19 September 2008, lot 292
Price: USD 266,500 or approx.
EUR 352,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Male deity, probably Vishnu, sandstone, Khmer, style of the Bakong
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, manner of carving, and stone. Note the larger size (117 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
