156 - A FINE BRONZE MALE FIGURE, DONG SON CULTURE

A FINE BRONZE MALE FIGURE, DONG SON CULTURE Vietnam, 500 BC-300 AD. Finely cast, the standing figure gazing slightly upwards, his arms arched with the hands lowered towards the waist, framing his prominent phallus. The torso neatly decorated with six large spiral designs arranged in two vertical columns. His bold face with a hieratic expression, marked by a pair of bulging eyes, a slender nose, and full lips, flanked by prominent ears. Provenance: From the private collection of Darwin Freeman, collected between 1968 and 1971, and thence by descent within the same family. Born 1946 in Idaho, United States, Darwin Freeman was a member of the armed forces and later became an avid collector. He met his wife in the mid-1960s, and the pair later relocated to her hometown of Innsbruck, Austria. In 1967, Freeman was drafted into the US Army and served in Germany and Thailand. While he was stationed at the Embassy in Bangkok, between 1969 and 1971, he actively began engaging in the exploration and collection of ancient bronzes and other works of art. Upon completing his duty, Freeman arranged for his collection to be shipped to Austria, where it remained in storage until this day. Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age, with ancient wear, casting irregularities, traces of weathering, areas of deep corrosion, signs of prolonged burial, encrustations, possibly small old repairs, obvious losses. The bronze with a rich, naturally grown patina and vibrant malachite encrustations. Displaying exceptionally well. Weight: 902.4 g (excl. stand), 1.4 kg (incl. stand) Dimensions: Height 31.2 cm (excl. stand), 32.4 cm (incl. stand) With an associated metal stand. (2) Dong Son (named for Dong Son, a village in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam) was a Bronze Age culture in ancient Vietnam centered at the Red River Valley of northern Vietnam from 1000 BC until the first century AD. Vietnamese historians attribute it to the states of Van Lang and Au Lạc. Its influence spread to other parts of Southeast Asia, including Maritime Southeast Asia, throughout the first millennium BC. The culture long remained a mystery to Western archaeologists, and it was known only through its bronze objects, many of which were taken from burial sites. Dong Son bronze objects were exhibited in Europe for a century before their original location was even determined, and several theories and speculations over the dating methodologies of the culture continue to this day. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Zacke Vienna, 16 October 2021, lot 579 Price: EUR 15,168 or approx. EUR 18,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A rare male bronze figure, Dong Son culture Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of casting, modeling, and decorative motifs with spiral designs. Note the similar size (28 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Zacke Vienna, 21 November 2025, lot 126 Price: EUR 11,700 Description: An unusual male bronze figure, Dong Son culture Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of casting, modeling, and decorative style with spiral designs. Note the larger size (38.5 cm).