AN EXTREMELY RARE COPPER ALLOY ICON OF NAMMALVAR, 16TH CENTURY

AN EXTREMELY RARE COPPER ALLOY ICON OF NAMMALVAR, 16TH CENTURY Southern India. Well worn, the finely cast copper alloy icon depicting the saint seated in dhyanasana on a flat base beneath a prabhavali, his right hand held in abhaya mudra, flanked on either side by Madhurakavi Alvar and Nathamunigal. The arch topped by a kirtimukha beneath which is cast the figure of Vishnu seated on the seven headed cobra Ananta (the world snake) before the beginning of creation, a popular motif in Vaishnavism. The verso is cast with a ring eyelet for mounting. Provenance: German private collection, purchased in the 1960s - 1970s. Viennese private collection, acquired from the above. Condition: Good condition with extensive wear, predominantly from centuries of worship within the culture. Minor casting irregularities, small nicks, minor scratches, and soil encrustations. Weight: 71.6 g Dimensions: Height 5.5 cm Nammalvar was one of the twelve Alvar saints of Tamil Nadu, India, who were known for their affiliation to the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. He is considered to be the fifth in the line of the twelve Alvars and is highly regarded as a great mystic of the Vaishnava tradition. Nammalvar is also considered to be the foremost among the twelve Alvars, and his contributions amount to 1352 among the 4000 stanzas in the Naalayira Divya Prabandam. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 21 March 2024, lot 857 Price: USD 3,556 or approx. EUR 3,400 converted at the time of writing Description: A small bronze figure of Ganesha, Southern India, circa 16th century Expert remark: Compare the related style and similar prabhavali albeit with a different subject. Note the slightly larger size (8 cm).