Description
A BRONZE RITUAL CONCH SHELL WITH A DANCING FIGURE OF HEVAJRA, ANGKOR PERIOD, BAYON STYLE Expert’s note: Primarily associated with the Hindu god Vishnu, the conch was used in both Hindu and Buddhist rituals in late 12th and early 13th century Khmer Empire, when a unique theology, incorporating various beliefs, developed as a result of the last of the great Hindu god-kings, Jayavarman VII, converting to Buddhism, after which Buddhist art flourished. Blown at the beginning of ceremonies, the instrument makes the sound of the sacred syllable “Om,” believed to purify the mind before meditation. The embellished bronze features a dancing, multiheaded Hevajra, a key deity in Vajrayana Buddhism, a sect that emphasizes ritual as a means to enlightenment. Khmer Empire, 12th-13th century. Well cast with a flaring foliate tip, bordered by flaming leafy scrolls, and a spiral base with beaded borders. The central panel with a dancing Hevajra, beneath an arched mandorla, flanked by nagas. The bronze with a smooth, naturally grown patina with malachite encrustations. Provenance: The collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum. Institutional art collection in Belgium, acquired from the above. PD Collection Paris, acquired from the above. Dr. István Zelnik, President of the Hungarian South and Southeast Asian Research Institute, is a former high-ranking Hungarian diplomat who spent several decades in Southeast Asia, building the largest known private collection of Asian art in Europe. Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Casting irregularities, expected wear, signs of weathering and encrustations, few small nicks and dents, all as expected. Weight: 874 g Dimensions: Length 19.5 cm Literature comparison: Compare a closely related libation vessel in the form of a conch, Angkor period, 12th century, 20 cm, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the MET), accession number 1986.509.3. Compare a closely related Khmer Buddhist ritual conch shell with a dancing Hevajra, 12th-13th century, in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, accession number 91.22.1a,b. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 17 September 1998, lot 173 Price: USD 9,200 or approx. EUR 16,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A bronze conch shell, Khmer, Angkor Period, Bayon Style, late 12th/early 13th century Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, patina, and central dancing figure of Hevajra. Note the size (36.2 cm).
357
A BRONZE RITUAL CONCH SHELL WITH A DANCING FIGURE OF HEVAJRA
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