Lot 157. A rare wood head of a Luohan, Song dynasty (960-1279). Height 38 cm. Weight: 5,215 g. Estimate €14,000. Courtesy Zacke

Superbly carved with a gentle contemplative expression, marked by heavy-lidded eyes below thick arched brows centered by a distinct nose bridge and full lips forming a slight smile, flanked by long pendulous earlobes, the forehead with a characteristic bump.

Provenance: The estate of Louis-Pierre Denil, Leuven, Belgium. Bertin Verstraete, Belgium, acquired from the above. A Belgian private collector, acquired from the above. Louis-Pierre Denil (1965-2016) was an internationally renowned restorer, collector, and dealer of antique chandeliers. Since the 1990s, he was purveyor to the Belgian court, including King Albert II and King Philippe, and became close friends with members of the Imperial family.

Note: Sensitively modeled with meticulous attention to detail which successfully captures the luohan’s expressive countenance, this superbly carved head is striking for both its large size and vivid realism, with intricate and naturalistic detailing of the gentle curvature of the skull.

Luohan, or arhats, were close personal disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. Although they attained Buddhahood during the course of their lives, they delayed entering Nirvana and remained on earth to protect the Buddhist dharma and to aid others in seeking enlightenment according to the instruction of the Buddha. Invested with extraordinary spiritual power, they are believed to possess perfect wisdom and insight into all existence while being freed from the bonds of desires. Luohan figures became increasingly popular from the Song dynasty. Li Song in 'From the Northern Song to the Qing', Chinese Sculpture, New Haven, 2006, pp. 389, suggests that during the Song dynasty, various Buddhist schools were eager to trace their lineages to Shakyamuni. Thus luohan, with their direct connections to the Historical Buddha, became the ultimate iconographic bridge to the Indian founders of Buddhism.

Literature comparison: Compare a closely related limestone head of a luohan, 41.3 cm high, dated Song to early Ming dynasty, at Sotheby’s New York, 12 September 2018, lot 14.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 September 2005, lot 144
Price: USD 72,000 or approx. EUR 99,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare wood head of a luohan, Song dynasty
Expert remark: Note the related size (39.7 cm)

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams London, 7 November 2019, lot 51
Price: GBP 68,813 or approx. EUR 91,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare carved wood head of a Lokapala, Song dynasty
Expert remark: Note the related size (39 cm)

Zacke. 9th Mar, 2023 TWO-DAY AUCTION - Fine Chinese Art / 中國藝術集珍 / Buddhism & Hinduism