Page 142 - Fine Chinese, Japanese and Buddhist Art September 28, 2018 Galerie Zacke
P. 142

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                                                                                                                                     A LARGE AND IMPORTANT BRONZE FIGURE OF
                                                                                                                                     BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, SUKHOTHAI STYLE,
                                                                                                                                                     TH
                                                                                                                                     KAMPHAENG PHET, 14 – 15  CENTURY
                                                                                                                                                         TH
                                                                                                                                     Massively cast bronze with elegant olive-brown patina
                                                                                                                                             th
                                                                                                                                                 th
                                                                                                                                     Thailand, 14  – 15  century
                                                                                                                                     Seated in vajrasana, the right hand in bhumisparsa
                                                                                                                                     mudra, the left in avakasha mudra, clad in an elegant yet
                                                                                                                                     simple uttarasangha covering the left shoulder.
                                                                                                                                     This large and well-cast sculpture exemplifies the
                                                                                                                                     Kamphaeng Phet style, with a particularly well-achieved
                                                                                                                                     philtrum that undulates and confidently defines the
                                                                                                                                     contours of his mild and approachable smile, a classic
                                                                                                                                     three-layered flame finial (as opposed to four, which
                                                                                                                                     is a signature detail in Kamphaeng Phet), abbreviated
                                                                                                                                     ‘fishtail’ lapel by the navel and planar feet. Old, tailored
                                                                                                                                     mahogany base. (2)

                                                                                                                                     Shape: Sculptural
                                                                                                                                     Weight: 24,5 kilograms
                                                                                                                                     Dimensions: Height 71 cm
                                                                                                                                     Condition: Superb condition (given the age of this
                                                                                                                                     bronze) with some losses and cracks to base, minor
                                                                                                                                     deteriorations to upper arms and chest, with an
                                                                                                                                     associated minor repair to neck
                                                                                                                                     Provenance: The Estate of Mrs. Jane Rau, New York,
                                                                                                                                     acquired by 1971

                                                                                                                                     Literature comparison: Compare with a Kamphaeng
                                                                                                                                     Phet Buddha from Wat Phra That in the Kamphaeng
                                                                                                                                     Phet National Museum, illustrated in Rooney, Ancient
                                                                                                                                     Sukhothai, Bangkok, 2008, page 211, and a Kamphaeng
                                                                                                                                     Phet head in the same, page 51.

                                                                                                                                     Auction result comparison: ARTS D’ASIE. Sotheby’s, Paris,
                                                                                                                                     12 DECEMBER 2017, lot 203. (for a very similar statue)

                                                                                                                                     EstimateġEUR 6.000,-
                                                                                                                                     Starting price EUR 3.000,-










































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