Page 189 - Chinese Art Paris Auction Christie's December 2017

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TETE DE VISHNU EN GRES
CAMBODGE, EPOQUE PRE-ANGKORIENNE,
CIRCA VIIEME SIECLE
Son visage est empreint de sérénité. Ses lèvres
ourlées sont élégamment sculptées. Ses lobes
d’oreille sont allongées. Ses cheveux bouclés sont
coifés d’une mitre.
Hauteur: 43 cm. (17 in.), socle
€55,000-75,000 $65,000-87,000
£49,000-67,000
PROVENANCE
Private Belgian collection, acquired in the mid-
1980s.
AN IMPORTANT SANDSTONE HEAD OF
VISHNU
CAMBODIA, PRE-ANGKOR PERIOD,
CIRCA 7TH CENTURY
柬埔寨 吳哥窟前期 約七世紀 砂岩毘濕奴頭像
來源：比利時私人珍藏，購於1980年代中期

This large head represents the Hindu god
Vishnu or the Preserver of the World Order. He is
in particular associated with rulers of Cambodia.
The deity wears a high cylindrical miter providing
the head a royal appearance. Below the miter
one sees a row of curls framing his forehead and
temples while several rows of long braided locks
fall over the backside of his neck. This specifc hair-
dress is mainly known from circa seventh century
Phnom Da style associated Vishnu and Harihara
(half Vishnu and half Shiva) examples. His introvert
facial expression showing small, almond-shaped
eyes are known as well from Phnom Da style
examples of this Pre- Angkor period.
A comparable though complete Vishnu sandstone
statue attributed to the Phnom Da style is
published by Nadine Dalsheimer in ‘Les collections
du musee national de Phnom Penh’, Ecole francaise
d’Extreme-Orient, Paris 2001, p. 83.

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