157 - A LARGE BRONZE MALE FIGURE, DONG SON CULTURE

A LARGE BRONZE MALE FIGURE, DONG SON CULTURE Vietnam, 500 BC-300 AD. Finely cast, the standing figure gazing upward, his arms arched and subtly adorned with bracelets, his hands lowered toward the waist, encircled by a belt, framing his prominent phallus. His chest, abdomen, and knees neatly decorated with large spiral designs. His bold face with an amiable expression marked by a pair of protruding buns, raised rounded eyes with further spiral motifs, a drop-shaped nose, and a faint smile. 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: Good condition, commensurate with age, with ancient wear, casting irregularities, traces of weathering, with 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: 1.5 kg Dimensions: Height 36.8 cm 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. Literature comparison: Compare a related smaller seated male figure, Vietnam, Dong Son culture, dated 500 BC-300 AD, 8.9 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 2000.287. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Zacke Vienna, 21 November 2025, lot 127 Price: EUR 26,000 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 size (41.4 cm).