Indian & Southeast Asian Art

Cham people, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Padmapani and attendants, 9th­­–10th century, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, Acquired 2011, Deaccessioned 2021, On loan from the Kingdom of Cambodia, 2023–2026. NEW YORK, NY.- An ancient gilt bronze Buddhist sculpture that traveled a circuitous and legally questionable route from a rice paddy in southern Cambodia to the capital of Australia will soon be headed back to its homeland.The sculpture of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Padmapani — the benevolent “lord who... [Lire la suite]

Buddha Head, Cambodia or Thailand, Mon-Dvaravati Style, 8th century. Limestone, 26.67 x 20.32 cm. Minneapolis Institute of Art, Bequest of Alfred F. Pillsbury, 50.46.219. This Buddha demonstrates a critical innovation of Southeast Asian sculpture: the early translation of established Indian prototypes into distinctly local expressions. The sculptor fully captures the calm bliss of the enlightened being while subtly incorporating the facial features of the indigenous population. Similarly, artists of the Mon-Dvaravati... [Lire la suite]

Bottle, Siam, Sawankhalok ware, late 13th-14th Century. Stoneware, 7 cm. Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Edwin Lowe Neville 1939.529 Jar, Siam, Sawankhalok ware, late 13th-14th Century. Stoneware, 10.2 cm. Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Edwin Lowe Neville 1939.534. Bowl, Siam, Sawankhalok ware, late 13th-14th Century. Stoneware. Diameter: 9.3 cm; Overall: 5.2 cm. Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Edwin Lowe Neville 1939.531. Pouring Vessel, Siam, Sawankhalok ware, late 13th-14th Century.... [Lire la suite]

Bodhisattva Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future, India (Jammu and Kashmir) or Pakistan (Swat Valley), 7th century. Bronze inlaid with silver. H. 18.1 cm. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. A. Richard Benedek, 1978, 1978.536. © 2000–2023 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The messianic savior Maitreya is identified by the flask he holds in his lower hand. He is seated in a yogic posture on a double-lotus cushion and extends spiritual protection to believers with his raised hand, here displayed with the palm facing inwards, not outwards as is... [Lire la suite]

Avalokiteshvara Padmapani, Pakistan (Swat Valley), 7th century. Bronze inlaid with silver and copper. H. 22.2 cm, W. 14.6 cm, D. 10.5 cm. Harris Brisbane Dick and Fletcher Funds, 1974, 1974.273. © 2000–2023 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Bodhisattva as the lotus-bearer Padmapani was a favored form of Avalokiteshvara, the embodiment of Buddhist compassion. His identifiers are the lotus (padma) held in his left hand, and the small figure of the Buddha Amitabha atop his head. In this early representation, he sits in royal ease,... [Lire la suite]

Head of a Buddha, India (Uttar Pradesh, Mathura), late Gupta period, late 5th–early 6th century. Red sandstone. H. 25.4 cm, W. 14.3 cm, D. 16.5 cm. On base: H. 37.5 cm. Gift of Doris Rubin, in memory of Harry Rubin, 1989, 1989.236.1. © 2000–2023 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This head from a nearly lifesize figure of the Buddha reflects the late Gupta artistic idiom. In an effort to represent the Buddha’s enlightenment and his inward-looking meditative nature, the artist abstracted and idealized his physical features,... [Lire la suite]

Lot 35. An important and rare gilt-copper alloy figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Khasa Malla, 13th-14th century; 32.3cm (12 3/4in) high. Sold for €508,400 inc. premium. Photo Bonhams. Heavily cast and richly gilt, seated cross-legged in dhyanasana on a double lotus base, his right hand in bhumisparsha mudra touching the ground, wearing a diaphanous robe with rice grain-patterned borders, elegantly draped over the left shoulder with fish-tail ends and gathering in fan-shaped folds between... [Lire la suite]

Lot 175. The bedchamber sword of Tipu Sultan (reg. 1782-1799), a fine gold-koftgari-hilted steel sword (sukhela), India, 18th Century; 105.9 cm. long; blade 92.9 cm. long; 109 cm. long (in scabbard). Sold for £14,080,900. Photo: Bonhams. LONDON.- Tipu Sultan’s fabled bedchamber sword sold for £14 million at Bonhams Islamic and Indian Art sale in London today (Tuesday 23 May 2023). It had an estimate of £1,500,000-2,000,000. This is a new auction world record for both an Indian and Islamic object.Nima Sagharchi, Group... [Lire la suite]

Lot 12. Pectoral du culte Bhuta (Bhûta). Inde, Tulu Nadu (Nord Kerala, Sud Karnataka) ca XIXe siècle. Cuir. H. 56 cm. L. 49 cm. Estimation : 800/1200€. © 2020 Maître Jean Emmanuel PRUNIER Important « masque pectoral » féminin présentant les classiques deux figurations de cobras déployant leurs capuchons au-dessus des épaules. Ce type d’objet était porté en même temps que les masques par les médiums pour représenter les esprits féminins qu’ils souhaitaient faire entrer en eux afin qu’ils s’expriment lors des... [Lire la suite]

Lot 11. Importante tête de bodhisattva. Inde, dynastie Kushan, IIe-IVe siècles. Grès rose. H. 33,5 cm. Estimation : 8000/12000€. © 2020 Maître Jean Emmanuel PRUNIER Cette imposante tête aux traits souriants surmontés d’un superbe turban supportant un grand fleuron pouvant évoquer une fleur de lotus épanouie est exécutée dans le grès rose caractéristique de la région de Mathura en Uttar Pradesh. Ce style puissant tout en rondeurs mêlant puissance et spiritualité constitue le parfait exemple du style... [Lire la suite]