Page 105 - September 20th 2021, Indian and Himalayan Art Christie's NYC

PROPERTY FROM THE JAMES AND MARILYNN ALSDORF COLLECTION
445
A GRANITE PILLAR WITH A YAKSHA AND SNAKES
SOUTH INDIA, KARNATAKA, 13TH-14TH CENTURY
40 in. (101.6 cm.) high
$5,000-7,000

PROVENANCE:
Christie's London, 29 October 1981, lot 309.
The James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection, Chicago.
EXHIBITED:
The Art Institute of Chicago, “A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast
Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection,” 2 August-26 October 1997,
cat. no. 367.
LITERATURE:
P. Pal, A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and
Marilynn Alsdorf Collection, Chicago, 1997, pp. 269, cat. no. 367.

Following the fall of the Chola empire, later schools under the Hoysalas rejected the
restraint and simplicity of their predecessors, adopting a more ornate approach to their
sculptures. Both the nobility and affluent citizenry of the Hoysala kingdom were generous
patrons of the arts, and many of their temples are among the most luxuriant ornate stone
structures on the subcontinent. The sculpture of this period was defined by exuberant
ornamentation, incorporating decorative motifs and designs to frame the representation
of deities.
The veneration of serpents is still prevalent in India and works such as the present lot
are found commonly among the sculpture of Karnataka, where the motif was particularly
popular. While serpents were worshipped for protection from their deadly bite, they were
also implored for prosperity and progeny. The reptiles here are not rendered in their
naturalistic form but rather used to adorn the sides of the pillar, taking the form of the
exaggerated ornamentation that was characteristic of this period.

印度南部 卡納塔克邦 十三/十四世紀 花崗岩雕夜叉那伽紋柱
來源:
佳士得倫敦，1981年10月29日，拍品編號309。
詹姆斯及瑪麗蓮·阿爾斯多夫伉儷珍藏，芝加哥。
展覽:
芝加哥藝術博物館， A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art
from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection，1997年8月2日至10月26日，編號367。
出版:
P. Pal，《A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the
James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection》，芝加哥，1997年，頁269，圖錄編號367。

THE PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE WEST COAST COLLECTOR
446
A BRONZE FIGURE OF PARSHVANATHA, This serene figure represents Parshavanatha, the 23rd tirthankara
THE 23RD TIRTHANKARA and the earliest Jain leader for whom there is evidence of having been
SOUTH INDIA, 12TH CENTURY a historical figure (c.877-777 BCE). He is often associated with a
6Ω in. (16.5 cm.) high particular story in which he is attacked by a demon during meditation.
Coming to his aid, the serpent King, Dharana shields the meditating Jina
$20,000-30,000 with his hoods. Two bands of inscription along the rims of the base read:
PROVENANCE:
Acquired from The Vincent Price Collection, Sears, Roebuck, and Co., Vishalakeerti Devaru of Balatkaragana, on 8th Day of Chaitra in Bava
Portland, Oregon, before 1971. Samvatsara manifested the Idol of ParishaTeerthankara (Parshwanatha
Teerthanakara).
印度南部 十二世紀 銅巴濕伐那陀坐像
To commemorate the commision of the image of Parshwanatha
來源: Teerthankara.
P. Pal, A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian 入藏自Vincent Price珍藏，西爾斯百貨，波特蘭，俄勒岡州，1971年以前。
Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection, Chicago, 1997, p. Christie's thanks Dr. R.H. Kulkarni for the translation.
269 and cover.