A bronze figure of Vishvakarman, the celestial architect, seated in a half-kneeling posture on a rectangular base. As architect to the gods and patron of craftsmen, he holds  More »

A bronze figure of Vishvakarman, the celestial architect, seated in a half-kneeling posture on a rectangular base. As architect to the gods and patron of craftsmen, he holds an axe in his right hand, resting the weight on his right shoulder. In his left hand he grasps a noose between his thumb and forefingers. The deity is sumptuously adorned with a tiered headdress and elaborate jewellery, including spiral earrings, arm bands, necklace and anklets. His lower body is clothed in a striated sampot. Vishvakarman was unknown in the Cambodian world before the twelfth century; his name is first recorded in a stele inscription of 1191 at Preah Khan in Angkor (associated with Jayavarman VII). Primarily a Hindu deity associated with Indra, he was also popular with Cambodian Buddhists in the 12th and 13th centuries.For a comparative example see E. C. Bunker and D. Latchford. ‘Adoration and Glory: The Golden Age of Khmer Art,’ (Chicago, 2004), pp. 275- 277, No. 95. (AM) - (SF.115)   « Less

Crafted in a robust yet charming style, this brass sculpture may originally have served as a votive gift at at temple. A voluptuous woman ornately costumed, holds the dish of  More »

Crafted in a robust yet charming style, this brass sculpture may originally have served as a votive gift at at temple. A voluptuous woman ornately costumed, holds the dish of an oil lamp whose flame would have illuminated her features. Her identity is uncertain, but her unblushing sensuality would connect her to an ancient tradition of nature and fertility deities. She radiates a timeless aura of benign power, one easily recognizable to any time or culture. We wonder who asked for her favor so long ago, and how their prayers were answered. - (FZ.222)   « Less

The most popular god in the Hindu pantheon, Krishna has been worshiped across India for centuries. The eighth incarnation of the god Vishnu, Krishna's heroic exploits are  More »

The most popular god in the Hindu pantheon, Krishna has been worshiped across India for centuries. The eighth incarnation of the god Vishnu, Krishna's heroic exploits are celebrated in art and song. Often shown with blue skin, Krishna is worshiped in a variety of guises; as an infant, as Gopala the cowherd, as a warrior, a lover, and as Bhagata the adorable one. Here he is depicted as a muscular young man with arms extended to hold two vanished attributes, perhaps a variation on his cowherd role. What is most fascinating about this work, the product of a provincial workshop, is the way the god reflects the ideal of a robust young peasant. He seems the picture of health and vigor, human and accessible rather than remotely divine. This is a god for the people, one who understands the experience of daily life. - (FZ.254)   « Less

The most popular god in the Hindu pantheon, Krishna has been worshiped across India for centuries. The eighth avitar of the god Vishnu, Krishna's legendary exploits are  More »

The most popular god in the Hindu pantheon, Krishna has been worshiped across India for centuries. The eighth avitar of the god Vishnu, Krishna's legendary exploits are celebrated in art and song. Often shown with blue skin, Krishna is worshiped in a variety of guises; as an infant, as Gopala the cowherd, as a warrior, a lover, and as Bhagata the adorable one. This is Krishna at his most playful and erotic, the king of love. A work in the provincial style, this unusual sculpture glows still with the aura of devotion that infuses the best religious art. - (FZ.255)   « Less

The legendary hero Krishna, eighth incarnation of Vishnu, is perhaps the most popular god in all Hindu mythology. Often shown with blue skin, Krishna appears in a variety of  More »

The legendary hero Krishna, eighth incarnation of Vishnu, is perhaps the most popular god in all Hindu mythology. Often shown with blue skin, Krishna appears in a variety of guises: as a baby, as a cowherd, as the lover, as Bhagata the adorable one. In this splendid statue he is shown kneeling as a young child, wearing little more than a topknot and a necklace. Even if we did not know this was Krishna, the bold and powerful lines of the sculpture would hint at his divine stature. - (FZ.256)   « Less

A stylized image of fierceness, this roaring feline perhaps once guarded a temple or a palace. Since the dawn of time, man has admired the leopard as a symbol of nobility,  More »

A stylized image of fierceness, this roaring feline perhaps once guarded a temple or a palace. Since the dawn of time, man has admired the leopard as a symbol of nobility, swiftness and strength. Many royal lines have chosen this big cat as a graceful metaphor for their earthly power. In this superb Indian sculpture, we feel those regal qualities still, an impression only enhanced by the passage of centuries. - (PF.0212)   « Less

With elegant, stylized ferocity, a rampant lion pounces on a fleeing demon. Originally, this graceful sculpture may have stood guard at the doorway of a palace or temple as a  More »

With elegant, stylized ferocity, a rampant lion pounces on a fleeing demon. Originally, this graceful sculpture may have stood guard at the doorway of a palace or temple as a warning to all malicious spirits not to enter. The tradition for lions guarding doors and gates is an ancient one, common to a great variety of cultures including the Egyptians, Assyrians, Romans and Chinese. There is a strong Chinese influence in this piece, suggesting open relations between the two cultures. Rendered with the timeless energy of myth, this is a work of enduring power and beauty. - (PF.1319)   « Less

Nandi the bull-calf is the mount or vehicle of Lord Shiva. As Shiva’s most devoted disciple, his image is often placed directly opposite Shiva’s shrine in Hindu  More »

Nandi the bull-calf is the mount or vehicle of Lord Shiva. As Shiva’s most devoted disciple, his image is often placed directly opposite Shiva’s shrine in Hindu temples. Regularly honoured by worshippers with offerings of flowers and incense, sculptures of Nandi are often touched in the hope that devotees will be able to imitate the strength of his devotion to Shiva. It is not known when these two deities first came to be associated but there is a long history of devotion to bulls in Asia. The early civilisation of the Indus Valley in particular (c. 3000-2000 BC) clearly held the bull in high veneration- producing images in stone and terracotta. In Sanskrit Nandi means ‘joyfulness’ or ‘He who gives joy.’ This refers to the emotions experienced by the devotee in the presence of Shiva.Carved from marble, the artist has rendered the bull's anatomy with bold and powerful lines, coupled with a spiritual aura that conveys Nandi's divine status. We do not doubt for a moment that we are in the presence of a sacred creature rather than an earthly one. The bull is seated in a recumbent pose with his front right leg extended and his head slightly raised. A wide collar runs around the neck and the details of eyes, tail and hooves are picked out in black pigment. Traces of red and gold, particularly on the base suggest that the sculpture was once extensively polychromed. The scale of the carving indicates that it was used for private devotion, perhaps in a household shrine. This is an exceptionally early piece of great beauty and character. (AM) - (PF.1378)   « Less

Perhaps nowhere in the world are daily life and religion more intimately intertwined than in India. For thousands of years, Indian artists have created sculptures that  More »

Perhaps nowhere in the world are daily life and religion more intimately intertwined than in India. For thousands of years, Indian artists have created sculptures that celebrate the spirit. In Buddhist belief, a Bodhisattva is one who, through virtue and meditation, is thought to be a future Buddha, or savior of the world. The word itself translates loosely as "the essence of knowledge". This sensitive sculpture in an archaic style shows a holy person meditating on a lotus throne. Serene and elegant, it lifts the mind to a higher plane. - (PF.1380)   « Less

A bronze like this, depicting a deity brandishing a weapon and holding a cup, might have been given as a votive in medieval India. The god appears to be one of the numerous  More »

A bronze like this, depicting a deity brandishing a weapon and holding a cup, might have been given as a votive in medieval India. The god appears to be one of the numerous warrior spirits of Hindu myth who vanquished evil to save mankind. In the presence of such a work, full of spiritual sincerity, we cannot help but wonder whose gift it was and what favors they sought from the gods. We recognize that those forgotten dreams--for health, wealth and happiness--have hardly altered through the ages. Such a work unites us with a vanished world and with the men and women who gave it meaning. - (PF.1381)   « Less