 DANCING GANESHA
ST490 DANCING GANESHA.CENTRAL INDIA, PROBABLY MADHYA PRADESH.10TH – 11TH CENTURY.H. 64 CMS, 25 INS.W. 55 CMS, 21 ½ INS.A lively, reddish-buff sandstone relief of an eight armed Ganesha with musician attendants, standing with his knees bent and his right foot raised in the kunchita dancing pose, holding his various attributes and adorned with extensive jewellery including a diadem, a necklace, basubands and a serpent belt knotted above his ample belly.This type of large relief would probably have been placed in a niche on the exterior wall of a temple. There are many fine examples of Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Siva from Madhya Pradesh – see, for example, figs. 3, 4 and 7, pp 45, 46 and 48 in P. Pal (ed.), Ganesh the Benevolent, Bombay: Marg Publications, 1995. PROVENANCE: Private American collection. Acquired in the 1960s during employment in the US Foreign Service.
|  TEMPLE RELIEF WITH RAMA AND SITA
ST491 TEMPLE RELIEF WITH RAMA AND SITA.CENTRAL INDIA.10TH - 11TH CENTURY.H. 57 CMS, 22 1/2 INS; W. 47 CMS, 18 ½ INS; D. 14 CMS, 5 ½ INS.A sensuous, delicately carved buff sandstone relief with Rama with his bow and arrow, flanked by a pair of female attendants and surmounted by a seated figure of his consort Sita accompanied by two lotus bearing adorants. This type of large relief would probably have been placed in a niche on the exterior wall of a temple. Lord Rama, incarnation of Vishnu and hero of the Ramayana, is a popular figure in Hindu mythology. His consort Sita is regarded by Hindus as an avatar of Lakshmi and is the embodiment of perfect womanhood. PROVENANCE: Private American collection. Acquired in the 1960s during employment in the US Foreign Service.
|  BRONZE SEATED BUDDHA
ST513 SEATED BUDDHA.THAILAND, EARLY AYUTTHAYA PERIOD.15TH CENTURY.H. 23.5 CMS, 9 ¼ INS.A finely cast bronze figure of Buddha, meditative and serene, seated in bhumisparsimdra on a raised pedestal; with extensive traces of gilding.For a related Buddha see Fig. 192 (cat. no. 64) 237 in Hiram W. Woodward, The Sacred Sculpture of Thailand. The Alexander B. Griswold Collection, Baltimore: Walters Art Gallery, 1997. Provenance: Private Swiss collection.
|  SEATED SILVER BUDDHA
ST515 SEATED SILVER BUDDHA.THAI, BANGKOK PERIOD.RATANAKOSIN STYLE.19TH CENTURY.H. 9.5 CMS, 3 ¾ INS.A delightful repoussé silver figure of Buddha, seated in bhumisparsimudra on a tall pedestal faintly inscribed with a dedicatory message.This figure depicts Buddha Maravijaya (the "Buddha who vanquished Mara"). It may once have had a flame finial although a related example in the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, has a similarly domed chignon. See no. 70 in State Hermitage Museum, Siamese Art of the 14th-19th centuries in the Hermitage, St Petersburg, 1997. Provenance: Private English collection.
|  BROWN SCHIST BUDDHA HEAD
ST531 SMALL BROWN SCHIST BUDDHA HEAD.NORTHWEST PAKISTAN.GANDHARA, 2ND - 3RD CENTURY.H. 2 INS, 5.1 CMS .An exquisite small brown schist Buddha head with a tranquil expression, the hair wavy and rising symmetrically to a bun-shaped usnisha, the forehead with a trace of an urna, the almond-shaped eyes open beneath arched brows.For examples of similar schist Buddha heads from Northwest Pakistan, see nos. 268-270 in H. Ingholt, Gandharan Art in Pakistan, New York, 1957. Provenance: Private English collection. Acquired in the early 1980s.
|  A massive iron temple bell
A massive iron temple bell with a Chinese inscription on the side.Height: 100 cm, 39 1/2 ins.Diameter: 79 cm, 31 ins.Chinese, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
|  A fragmentary sandstone head of Buddha
A fragmentary sandstone head of Buddha, the eyes downcast in meditation and the mouth set in a gentle smile.Height: 22 cm, 8 3/4 ins.Thai, Ayutthaya Period, circa 17th century.
|  A manuscript painting
A manuscript painting with a scene from the Buddha’s life, (a jataka story).Thai, Bangkok style, Ratanakosin period, 19th century.On a modern mount. One of a set of three.
|  A manuscript painting
A manuscript painting with a scene from the Buddha’s life, (a jataka story).Thai, Bangkok style, Ratanakosin period, 19th century.On modern mount.
|  A manuscript painting
A manuscript painting with a scene from the Buddha’s life, (a jataka story).Thai, Bangkok style, Ratanakosin period, 19th century.On modern mount.
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