Lot 259. An archaic bronze vessel (Hu), Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). Height 11½ in., 29.3 cm. Lot sold: 10,080 USD (Estimate: 8,000 - 12,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
cast beneath the handle with a single character reading Ni.
Property from a New York Private Collection.
Provenance: Collection of Mrs. Dagny Carter (d. 1970), acquired in 1931.
Collection of Mrs. G.G. Scranton, acquired between 1932-1939.
American Private Collection.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 260. An inscribed archaic bronze ritual wine vessel (Gu), Late Shang dynasty (c. 1500-1050 BC). Height 11½ in., 29.3 cm. Lot sold: 12,600 USD (Estimate: 15,000 - 20,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
cast to the interior of the foot with a clan pictogram reading Jiu guan.
Property from a New York Private Collection.
Provenance: Collection of Mrs. Dagny Carter (d. 1970), acquired in 1931.
Collection of Mrs. G.G. Scranton, acquired between 1932-1939.
American Private Collection.
Note: A small group of bronzes from the same clan have been recorded. See for example, another late Shang dynasty bronze gu, inscribed with the same clan pictogram, published in The Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, ed., Yinzhou jinwen jicheng[Compendium of Yin and Zhou bronze inscriptions], Beijing, 2007, no. 07030.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
TOULOUSE - Qu’il s’agisse de momies artificielles, témoins de rites funéraires anciens, ou de momies naturelles formées par l’action du gel, du sel, de la tourbe ou même de l’ambre, Momies. corps préservés, corps naturels s’intéresse à la conservation des corps dans le monde entier, qu’ils soient humains ou animaux. Elle se penche également sur les techniques de conservation contemporaines et pose les questions éthiques et déontologiques liées à la conservation des restes humains. Avec cette exposition, le Muséum de Toulouse questionne pour la première fois l’humanité sur son rapport au temps, à la mort et à la recherche d’éternité.
C’est la première fois qu’une telle exposition est présentée à Toulouse. Si 2022 marque tout à la fois le bicentenaire du déchiffrement des hiéroglyphes par J.F. Champollion et le centenaire de la découverte du tombeau de Toutânkhamon, ce n’est pas une exposition d’égyptologie que propose le Muséum : la thématique des momies va bien au-delà, de par la diversité des thématiques abordées et les nombreuses disciplines convoquées : archéologie, anthropologie, thanatopraxie, médecine légale, ethnologie, biologie, génétique, sociologie…
L'exposition donne aussi l’occasion de mettre en relief les collections patrimoniales du Muséum de Toulouse, parmi lesquelles trois momies admirables spécialement restaurées et étudiées pour l’occasion. Des prêts exceptionnels venant de collections publiques ou privées complètent une scénographie innovante, esthétique et interactive.
Cette exposition est reconnue d’intérêt national par le ministère de la culture, qui lui apporte à ce titre un soutien financier exceptionnel. Elle est aussi l’une des 20 expositions soutenues par l'Inrap sous le label « l'Inrap a 20 ans ! » présentées en France en 2022.
Momies. Corps préservés, corps éternels. Ouverte toute l’année du mardi au dimanche de 10h à 18h- fermée le 1er janvier et le 1er mai. www.museum.toulouse.fr
Memento Mori. © Jebulon, musée archéologique de Naples, Wikimedia Commons.
Memento Mori. © Sailko, CC BY3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Memento Mori. © auteur inconnu, CC BY4.0, Wellcome Collection.
Cuve d’urne cinéraire de Marcus Cartimus Dextrus, Italie, Rome, Fin du Ier siècle. Marbre blanc. Musée Saint-Raymond, Toulouse. © François-Louis Pons, Musée Saint-Raymond de Toulouse.
À l’époque romaine, le traitement des corps pouvait prendre diverses formes. La crémation était privilégiée. Le corps était alors brûlé sur un bûcher et les restes du défunt recueillis dans des réceptacles en verre, terre cuite ou pierre, placés dans des coffres souvent parés d’inscriptions. Ces coffres protégeaient non seulement les restes osseux, mais aussi les objets déposés en offrande, comme des flacons à parfum, qui accompagnaient le mort dans son dernier voyage. Cette cuve est celle de Marcus Cartimus Dextrus, mort à l’âge 32 ans, 6 mois et 24 jours.
Fourchette de prêtre, dite « de cannibale », Océanie, Fidji, XIXe siècle. Bois. Muséum de Toulouse. © François-Louis Pons, Muséum de Toulouse.
Ces fourchettes proviennent des îles Fidji. Ce type d’ustensile est connu sous les noms d’icula, isaga ou icula ni bokola (fourchette pour victime humaine). Elles étaient supposées être réservées à la consommation de chair humaine par les premiers collecteurs européens. En réalité, elles servaient aux chefs et aux prêtres à consommer toute viande cuisinée, lors de temps rituels au cours desquels toucher de la nourriture cuisinée leur était interdit.
Vautour de l’Himalaya (Gyps himalayensis), Muséum de Toulouse. © François-Louis Pons, Muséum de Toulouse.
Avec une envergure pouvant atteindre 3 mètres, ce vautour est l’un des plus grands d’Asie. Il se nourrit exclusivement de carcasses d’animaux morts. Au Tibet, on offre les morts aux vautours à l’occasion de cérémonies traditionnelles : les funérailles célestes. Les corps sont démembrés sur des aires cérémonielles et les grands oiseaux les dévorent. Dans la croyance religieuse tibétaine, il s’agit d’une ultime offrande compassionnelle du mort qui offre sa chair comme nourriture aux vivants. C’est aussi une façon mieux adaptée de faire disparaître les cadavres dans des régions manquant de bois pour des crémations ou dont le sol rocheux rend difficile le creusement de fosses.
Momie de varan du Nil (Varanus niloticus), Égypte, Époque ptolémaïque {310 à 30 avant J.-C.), Musée Granet, Aix-en-Provence. © Hervé Lewandowski, musée Granet, Aix en Provence
Cette momie de varan du Nil est unique au monde. Momifié durant l’époque ptolémaïque, il mesure 106 centimètres. Au bout de son corps couvert de bandelettes parfaitement superposées, on peut voir poindre sa petite tête et sa gueule ouverte (dans laquelle sont encore alignées ses minuscules dents). Ce varan est particulièrement intrigant : l’animal n’apparaît en effet nulle part dans l’iconographie égyptienne et sa conservation interroge donc les chercheurs...
Paquet funéraire (fardo), Culture Chancay, Pérou, côté centrale (1000-1450), Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Paris. © Patrick Gries et Bruno Descoings, musée du Quai Branly Jacques Chirac, DIST-RMN
La civilisation Chancay (1000-1450) a laisséà la postérité une grande quantité de paquets funéraires. Rassemblés dans d’immenses nécropoles, à proximité de Lima, ces fardos sont des enveloppes textiles anthropomorphes à fausse tête plus ou moins sophistiquées entourant une momie. L’aridité qui règne dans cette région du Pérou a permis de les protéger des outrages du temps. Ce paquet funéraire, passé aux rayons X et scan 3D, a révélé la momie d’un enfant de cinq ans, placé en position fœtale, tête en bas. Le scanner a également révélé l’ensemble des éléments destinés à accompagner l’enfant dans l’au-delà : maïs pour se nourrir, graines de coton pour se vêtir, fuseaux pour filer le tissu…
Statuette féminine (Cuchimilco), Culture Chancay, Pérou, côte centrale (1200-1450 ap.JC). Terre cuite. Musée de Toulouse. © Daniel Martin, Muséum de Toulouse.
Les Cuchimilcos sont des sculptures féminines ou masculines présentes dans les tombes Chancay, dont la fonction serait d’accompagner les morts dans l’au-delà. En terre cuite, de couleur crème rehaussée de détails bruns, elles disposent d’une coiffe et leurs parties génitales sont apparentes. Elles arborent toujours la même posture d’ouverture des bras, en signe d’offrande ou d’accueil.
Momie enfant et cercueil, Égypte, Antinoé, Époque Ptolémaïque {310 à 30 avant J.-C.), Musée d’art et d’archéologie, Guéret. © IMA solutions Musée d’art et d’archéologies - Gueret
Cette momie d’enfant a révélé tous ses secrets grâce à IMA Solutions, qui en a réalisé la numérisation 3D par tomographie, une méthode permettant de révéler l’invisible par des techniques non invasives et non destructives. L’exploration virtuelle de cette momie a permis de déceler, sous les bandelettes, la présence d’amulettes, d’un rouleau de papyrus (pouvant être un Livre des morts ?) et de nombreux bijoux. Une analyse bio-anthropologique a permis d’affirmer qu’il s’agissait d’une petite fille de 78cm, âgée de 2 à 3 ans.
Main momifiée dite « La main verte » France, Merry-sur-Yonne découverte vers 1650 Muséum national d’histoire naturelle - Paris. © J. C. Domenech, MNHN.
Découverte en 1650 près d’Auxerre, cette main est entrée dans les collections du Cabinet du Roi tant son aspect paraissait insolite. Les chairs vertes et les os à l’aspect de turquoise en faisaient une curiosité remarquée. Même si son origine exacte n’est pas connue, il s’agit probablement des restes d’une sépulture gallo-romaine. L’obole en bronze (mélange d’étain et de cuivre), placée dans la main comme gage de passage dans l’au-delà, s’est oxydée au fil du temps. L’action antiseptique du cuivre a ainsi préservé les tissus de la putréfaction et le vertde-gris a teinté l’ensemble.
Aigle pétrifié © Nick Brandt, Courtesy of Polka Galerie-Paris.
« J’ai découvert par hasard des oiseaux et des chauves-souris échoués le long de la rive du lac Natron en Tanzanie. Personne ne sait avec certitude comment ils meurent, mais il semble que la surface miroitante du lac les trompe en entraînant leur chute. L’eau concentre un taux si élevé de soude qu’elle dégraderait l’encre de mes boîtes de pellicules Kodak en quelques secondes. La soude et le sel « pétrifient » les créatures, qui, sous l’effet de l’évaporation, sont parfaitement préservées. J’ai pris ces créatures au fur et à mesure que je les trouvais sur le rivage, puis je les ai placées dans des positions « vivantes », les ramenant à la « vie », pour ainsi dire. Réanimées, vivant à nouveau dans la mort. » Nick Brandt.
Tête de l’homme de Tollund, 405-380 av J.-C.© Sven Rosborn, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.
Composée de restes organiques accumulés et compressés sur plusieurs milliers d’années, la tourbe est une matière formée dans un milieu humide et pauvre en oxygène, qui favorise la conservation. Retrouvé dans le Jutland au Danemark, l’homme de Tollund portait encore autour du cou la cordelette utilisée pour le pendre ou l’étrangler. Vulgaire criminel châtié ou victime sacrificielle de haut rang ? L’énigme divise les scientifiques.
Patte postérieure gauche de mammouth laineux (Mammuthus primigenius) Russie, Sibérie, îles Lyakhov, Muséum national d’histoire naturelle – Paris. ©
Ce spécimen est un témoignage exceptionnel de la préservation des corps dans les terrains glacés. Il fait partie de la dépouille d’un mammouth laineux, un jeune mâle, conservée dans le pergélisol depuis plus de 12 000 ans. Elle a été découverte en 1908 par K.-A. Vollossovitch dans la plus grande des îles Lyakhov, en Russie. Ce mammouth est important également par les études physiologiques, anatomiques et phylogénétiques que la préservation des tissus a permises
Momie d’Égypte © François-Louis Pons, Muséum de Toulouse.
Bras reliquaire, 14e siècle, France. Bois, Quartz, Améthyste © Emmanuel Grimault, Musée Paul Dupuy, mairie de Toulouse
Statuette Osiris, Égypte © Rodolphe Carreras, Musée Georges Labit, mairie de Toulouse
Lot 263. A limestone stele of a Buddhist triad, Northern Zhou dynasty, dated jiande 2nd year, corresponding to 573. Height 13 in., 33 cm, wood stand (2). Lot sold: 25,200 USD (Estimate: 20,000 - 30,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
Provenance: Collection of Walter Beck (1864-1954).
Collection of Dr. Edwin E. Gordon (1927-2015).
Sotheby's New York, 18th March 2008, lot 239.
Note: The inscription can be translated as: 'On the dingyou day of the second month of the guise year, the second year of the Jiande reign of the Great Zhou, Buddhist disciple Liu Kaiqian respectfully built a stone statue for the deceased father. [Established by] son Guangsong and sister Gaofei.'
Richly decorated stele became an important Buddhist sculptural medium from the 5th century A.D., when Buddhism spread throughout China and gave rise to the formation of Buddhist devotional societies. These societies held an important role in the development of regional religious art. During the Northern Wei dynasty, state-sponsorship of Buddhism enabled the rapid spread of the religion throughout Northern China. Lay Buddhists organized themselves into voluntary groups and associated with local temples. These groups were among the first to adopt stone tablets to record their faith. The popularity of steles is attributable to the easy accessibility of stone and its relatively small size. By the 6th century, these devotional groups became the chief patrons of steles, with a smaller number sponsored by individual donors and families.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 265. A polychrome-painted stucco head of a bodhisattva, Song-Yuan dynasty. Height of head 14½ in., 37 cm, mounted on a base (2). Lot sold: 7,560 USD (Estimate: 6,000 - 8,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
Provenance: Jeffrey Miller, New York.
Exhibited: Weisbrod Chinese Art, Buddhist Sculpture: Design and Influence, New York, 1992, cat. no. 20.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 266. A gilt-lacquered wood figure of Guanyin, Song-Jin dynasty (960-1234). Height 26⅝ in., 67.7 cm. Lot sold: 214,200 USD (Estimate: 100,000 - 150,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
Property from an American Private Collection.
Provenance: J.C. Moreau-Gobard, Paris.
C.T. Loo & Cie., Paris, 26th June 1964.
Collection of J.J. Klejman (1906-1995), and thence by descent.
Exhibited: Les Antiquaires et les Décorateurs, Paris, 1962.
Note: This bodhisattva, depicted in the relaxed pose known as ‘royal ease’, with reclining head and slightly bent body, is also known as ‘Water Moon Guanyin’ (Shuiyue Guanyin). Rendered with a calm face with eyes half-closed, the carver of this sculpture skilfully captured the serenity and peacefulness of the deity. This manifestation of Avalokiteshvara was thought to reside on an isolated isle named Potalaka in the mythical South Sea, where the bodhisattva sat and contemplated the moon’s reflection in the water. The reflection refers to the illusory and temporal nature of all phenomena in the human world. The iconography of the bodhisattva sitting leisurely with one hand resting on one knee was popular among Chinese Buddhist statuary of the Song (960-1279), Liao (916-1125) and Jin (1115-1234) dynasties, particularly between the 11th and 13th century. The finest sculptural works of the Song dynasty were carved out of wood and covered with gesso, pigments and gold. This sculpture, still with extensive traces of pigments, is one of the well-preserved examples.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art preserves a wood sculpture of Guanyin (accession no. 1925-99-1) with a figure of similar size supported on a lower rockwork base. See also a similar-sized figure with traces of gilding and painting on the body, sitting atop a pierced rockwork base with swirling waters below, recently sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 1st April 2019, lot 3109. Both these figures, although seated in the ‘royal ease’ posture, sit more upright and straight, making their poses appear less naturalistic as compared to the present figure.
A Water Moon Guanyin in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (accession no. 28.56), seated in a similar posture, but with a more voluminous body, of larger size, and lacking a base, was included in the Museum’s exhibition Arts of Ancient China, New York, 2005, and is illustrated in Hai-wai Yi-chen (xu) / Chinese Art in Overseas Collections, Buddhist Sculpture (II), Taipei, 1990, pl. 140.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 271. A polychrome-painted and gilt-lacquered bronze figure of a guardian, Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Height 17 in., 43.2 cm. Lot sold: 16,380 USD (Estimate: 5,000 - 7,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 272. A parcel-gilt bronze seated figure of Buddha, Late Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Height overall 15⅝ in., 39.6 cm; bronze 'lotus' base (2) . Lot sold: 12,600 USD (Estimate: 10,000 - 15,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
Provenance: San Francisco Private Collection, acquired prior to the 1930s.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 315. A purple-splashed 'Jun' bowl, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). Diameter 4¼ in., 10.8 cm. Estimate: 10,000 - 15,000 USD. Lot sold: 12,600 USD. © Sotheby's 2022
Property from the Collection of Albert Y.P. and Sara K.S. Lee.
Provenance: Christie's London, 12th December 1988, lot 123 (part lot).
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 316. A large 'Jun' bowl, Northern Song-Jin dynasty (960-1234). Diameter 8½ in., 21.6 cm. Estimate: 8,000 - 12,000 USD. Lot sold: 10,080 USD. © Sotheby's 2022
Property from a New York Private Collection.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 317. A small purple-splashed 'Jun' cup, Northern Song-Jin dynasty (960-1234). Diameter 2⅜ in., 6cm. Estimate: 6,000 - 8,000 USD. Lot sold: 8,190 USD. © Sotheby's 2022
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 318. A purple-splashed 'Jun' handled jar, Northern Song-Yuan dynasty (960-1366). Width across handles 5¾ in., 14.5 cm; Japanese wood box (3). Estimate: 5,000 - 7,000 USD. Lot sold: 11,970 USD. © Sotheby's 2022
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
China (Ming dynasty, 1368–1644). Chair cover with crane design (detail), 17th century. Kesi (silk tapestry) woven with silk and metallic threads; 20 3/8 x 63 3/4 in. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Morse, 59-18/5.
NASHVILLE, TENN.- The Frist Art Museum presents Weaving Splendor: Treasures of Asian Textiles from The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, an exhibition of Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Persian, and Turkish textiles drawn from one of the most significant collections of Asian art in the United States. Organized by The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, the exhibition will be on view in the Frist’s Ingram Gallery from October 7 through December 31, 2022.
Made with precious materials, innovative techniques, and stunning artistry, Asian textiles have been integral to global trade for centuries. Whether woven from cotton, linen, silk, or wool, each textile in Weaving Splendor tells a complex and fascinating story that leads guests on a journey along trade routes across continents, and through time, from the 15th century to today.
China (Qing dynasty, 1644–1911). Flag for theater, 17th–18th centuries. Silk and metallic thread embroidery on silk satin; 70 x 91 in. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 32-187/2.
“This exhibition provides a rare opportunity for our audiences, since these extraordinary treasures are not often displayed due to their fragile and light-sensitive nature,” says Frist Art Museum senior curator Trinita Kennedy. “Not only will our guests gain a deeper understanding of the diverse historical textiles on view, but they will also learn about how Asian traditions are being practiced and kept alive today, including by artists in our own community through in-gallery demonstrations.”
With more than 65 objects organized thematically into five sections, Weaving Splendor explores the various purposes for which Asian textiles have been created, including for use as garments, furnishings, gifts, and trade goods. Formal court robes made in imperial China and Japan signified rank and status within the governmental hierarchy, while striking costumes from Japanese theater traditions and Chinese operas brought characters from illusionary worlds to life on stage. Textured velvets and exquisite furniture covers defined and transformed interior spaces. In a recreation of a royal 16th-century Persian tent, exhibition guests can be enveloped by magnificent silk velvet ornamented with flowers and scenes of a royal hunt.
China (Qing dynasty, 1644–1911). Lady’s coat, early 18th century. Kesi (silk tapestry) woven with silk and metallic threads; 39 1/2 x 64 in. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 37-25 A
A section devoted to the major role Asian textiles played in diplomatic exchange and global trade features Indian pashmina shawls and chintzes and Persian carpets, including one commissioned as gift by a shah to a pope around 1600. “Carpets woven in the Islamic world were highly prized in Renaissance Europe. This spectacular example remains in excellent condition, which suggests that it might have been displayed on a wall or table rather than walked upon,” explains Kennedy.
The exhibition concludes with modern and contemporary textiles from China, Japan, India, Pakistan, and Turkey. In some areas, traditions, have been revived by nongovernmental agencies and dedicated patrons and artists, while art forms such as carpet weaving have continued in other regions without interruption. In the 21st century, Asia has regained its position as both a leading textile producer and as a place where local traditions of domestic and luxury textile making continue to thrive.
Oct 7–Dec 31, 2022 | Ingram Gallery
Kashan, Iran (Safavid Period, 1501–1732). Tapestry-woven medallion carpet, ca. 1600. Silk, gold, silver, and gilt silver metallic-wrapped thread in tapestry weave; 95 1/2 × 61 1/2 in. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 32-70.
Designed by a court painter, possibly Siyavush Beg Gurji (Persian, active mid–16th century to early 17th century), Probably Tabriz, Iran, Safavid dynasty (1501–1722). Velvet fragment of hunting scene, ca. 1540–70. Silk cut and voided velvet with silk pile with metal-wrapped thread brocade velvet; 19 x 18 1/2 in. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 32-80/3.
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868). Bugaku Costume (Hō-type), first half of the 19th century. Silk gauze embroidered with silk thread; 124 x 77 1/2 in. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 31-142/4.
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868). Kyōgen costume (suō-type), first half of the 19th century. Asa (bast fiber) with stencil dyeing; 41 1/2 x 82 1/2 in. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 31-142/60.
LONDON.- The sale of the Part II of the Claude de Marteau Collection, held in Paris on 4 October 2022 at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr demonstrated once again how rare and important this collection was, focusing on the finest Himalayan art and a series of spectacular Buddhist statues from the Ming and Qing dynasties in China. The 56-lot sale, representing a broad range of styles from the 14th to 19th centuries, achieved a total of more €2,5 million with 93% of lots sold.
A spectacular gilt copper alloy figure of Chakrasamvara, Tibet, 17th century, demonstrating a sophisticated quality of craftsmanship and in perfect condition, achieved €491,775, doubling its pre-sale estimate. This statue comes from a prominent patron: the inscription to the back of its base – reading ‘tashilima’ – identifies that it was commissioned by Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet, the traditional monastic seat of the Panchen Lama, the Gelug order's second-in-command.
Lot 36. A gilt copper alloy figure of Chakrasamvara, Tibet, 17th century. Himalayan Art Resources item no. 4631; 29 cm (11 3/8 in.) high. Sold for €491,775 (Est: €200,000 - €300,000). © Bonhams 2001-2022
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28180/lot/36/statuette-de-chakrasamvara-en-alliage-de-cuivre-dore-tibet-xviie-siecle/
Edward Wilkinson, Bonhams Head of Indian, Himalayan and South East Asian department, commented: “The market once again responded enthusiastically to the rare and diverse offering. Despite the ongoing restrictions for travel for our mainland Chinese clients we still saw a tremendous amount of new registrations and competitive bidding across-the-board. Additionally, with the second sale also being offered in Paris we are delighted to see a growing participation from clients in Europe.”
Christine de Schaetzen, Director of Business Development of Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Brussels, said: “Since Bonhams started this exciting project, the focus has been to raise awareness of the legacy of Claude de Marteau by staging travelling exhibitions of the collection from Brussels to Geneva, Paris, New York and Hong Kong, accompanied by lectures presented by renowned specialists such as Jane Casey in Paris last Saturday. The extremely positive result of the two sales thus far, with a large number of new collectors from all over the world competing for items at all levels, is testament to the ‘eye’ of Claude de Marteau.”
A powerful and jewel-like representation of a gilt copper alloy figure of Panjaranata Mahakala Tibet, 14th Century hammered for €164,175, after a fierce bidding battle. This exceptional gilded bronze would have required an experienced and dexterous hand, evinced by Mahakala's stocky yet balanced proportions and perfectly finished with a dazzling abstract tiger-skin lower garment.
Lot 9. A gilt copper alloy figure of Panjaranata Mahakala, Tibet, 14th Century.Himalayan Art Resources item no. 4605; 16 cm (6 1/4 in.) high. Sold for €164,175 (Est: €100,000 - €150,000). © Bonhams 2001-2022
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28180/lot/9/statuette-de-panjaranata-mahakala-en-alliage-de-cuivre-dore-tibet-xive-siecle/
Alongside this figure, a thangka of Vajradhara and The Eighty-Four Mahasiddhas, Tibet, 16th Century fetched €82,275, ten times its high estimate. It depicts the Primordial Buddha, Vajradhara, seated on an elaborate throne defended by roaring snow lions and surrounded by registers of individualized portraits of the Eighty-Four Mahasiddhas. The inclusion of mountains and rivers staging a few mahasiddhas speaks to the Tibetan thangka painter's growing affinity with the Chinese landscape painting tradition.
Lot 42. A thangka of Vajradhara and The Eighty-Four Mahasiddhas, Tibet, 16th Century. Distemper on cloth; verso with an ink drawing of a stupa and a Tibetan, "om, ah, hum" incantation behind the central figure. Himalayan Art Resources item no. 89904. Image: 76 x 59.5 cm (29 7/8 x 23 3/8 in.); With silks: 117 x 75 cm (46 x 29 1/2 in.). Sold for €82,275 (Est: €). © Bonhams 2001-2022
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28180/lot/27/tangka-representant-vajradhara-et-les-quatre-vingt-quatre-mahasiddhas-tibet-xvie-siecle/
An extremely rare gilt copper alloy figure of Vajravidarana, Densatil, Central Tibet, 14th century attracted heavy competition from bidders driving the price to €189,375, doubling the pre-sale estimate. Heavily cast with refined details balancing his semi-wrathful appearance, he is one of the five Cleansing Deities invoked for their ability to purify practitioners of their inner misdeeds and rid them of any diseases.
Lot 11. A gilt copper alloy figure of Vajravidarana, Densatil, Central Tibet, 14th century. Himalayan Art Resources item no. 4609; 26.8 cm (10 1/2 in.) high. Sold for €82,275 (Est: €100,000 - €150,000). © Bonhams 2001-2022
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28180/lot/11/statuette-de-vajravidarana-en-alliage-de-cuivre-dore-densatil-tibet-central-xive-siecle/
An elegant and serene figure gilt copper alloy Figure of Manjushri, Qing Dynasty, 17th Century portrays Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of 'Transcendental Wisdom'. Seated in dhyanasana, with his raised right hand brandishing a sword, and his left hand in vitarka mudra, it achieved €82,275, within estimate. A gilt copper alloy figure of a yaksha general Qing dynasty, 18th century was able to seduce buyers with a final bid of €69,975, far surpassing its estimate of €15,000-20,000. The Twelve Yaksha Generals are retinue figures associated with the mandala of Bhaisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha. Each of the generals characteristically holds a mongoose in his left hand.
Lot 37. A gilt copper alloy Figure of Manjushri, Qing Dynasty, 17th Century. Himalayan Art Resources item no. 4616; 24 cm (9 1/2 in.) high. Sold for €82,275 (Est: €70,000 - €90,000). © Bonhams 2001-2022
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28180/lot/37/statuette-de-manjushri-en-alliage-de-cuivre-dore-dynastie-qing-xviie-siecle/
A perfect emblem of the sale was the gilt copper alloy Vajramudgara (Ritual Hammer) China, 17th Century, ‘le marteau’ of the Claude de Marteau Collection, hammered for €86,055. First published and exhibited in 1974 this splendid richly-gilded object, inset with brightly-coloured stones, is an ornate ritual implement that would have been part of an important ritual altar set.
Lot 34. A gilt copper alloy Vajramudgara (Ritual Hammer), China, 17th Century. Himalayan Art Resources item no. 4641; 30.9 cm (12 1/8 in.) high. Sold for €86,055 (Est: €50,000 - €70,000). © Bonhams 2001-2022
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28180/lot/34/vajramudgara-marteau-rituel-en-alliage-de-cuivre-dore-chine-xviie-siecle/
The sale of the Part III of the Collection is planned in Paris in June 2023.
Lot 321. A large white-glazed cup, Sui dynasty (589-618). Diameter 4¾ in., 12.1 cm; Japanese wood box (3). Lot sold: 69,300 USD (Estimate: 15,000 - 20,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
Provenance: Mayuyama & Co. Ltd., Tokyo.
Note: Remarkable for its large size, this cup is a rare example of the high quality white wares produced during the Sui dynasty. Related cups have been discovered from Sui dynasty tombs, but are mostly of smaller size. See, for example, a group of three closely related cups attributed to the Xing kilns, excavated from the tomb of Li Yu, dated to the year 605, in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, published in Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, 'Xi'an nanjiao sui liyu mu fajue jianbao [A brief report on the excavation of the Sui tomb of Li Yu in the southern rural of Xi'an]', Wenwu, no. 7, 2009, fig. 28; and two other cups excavated from the tomb of Yuan Wei and his wife, dated 601, in Xianyang city, Shaanxi province, published in Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and Xianyang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology, 'Sui yuanwei fufu mu fajue jianbao [A brief report on the excavation of the Sui tomb of Yuan Wei and his wife]', Kaogu yu wenwu / Archaeology and Cultural Relics, no. 1, 2012, fig. 5, no. 1, together with three smaller cups, nos 2 and 4; and another, excavated from the dated tomb (607) of Zhang Lin and his wife in Chang'an district, Xi'an, now preserved in the Xi'an Institute of Cultural Relics Preservation, illustrated in Zhang Bai, Zhongguo chutu ciqi quanji / Complete Collection of Ceramic Art Unearthed in China, Beijing, 2008, pl. 14. Very few related cups of comparable size have appeared on the market. Two sold in our London rooms, one from the George de Menasce Collection, 29th March 1977, lot 231, and the other, 13th December 1983, lot 137. One sold at Christie's New York, 14th September 2011, lot 1457, and another sold recently in these rooms, 23rd March 2022, lot 298.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 322. A carved 'Ding''lotus' dish, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). Diameter 6½ in., 16.5 cm. Lot sold: 11,340 USD (Estimate: 5,000 - 7,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
Provenance: Sotheby's New York, 5th May 1979, lot 149.
China House of Arts, New York.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 323. A rare 'Cizhou' white-glazed sgraffiato 'peony' vase, Northern Song-Jin dynasty (960-1234). Height 7 in., 17.7 cm. Lot sold: 18,900 USD (Estimate: 6,000 - 8,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
Property from an Important American Private Collection.
Provenance: Andrew Kahane Ltd., New York.
J.J. Lally & Co., New York, 1995.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 324. A large carved 'Yaozhou' celadon-glazed 'floral' bowl, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). Diameter 8¾ in., 22.5 cm. Lot sold: 7,560 USD (Estimate: 8,000 - 12,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
Provenance: Christie's London, 9th December 1985, lot 87.
China House of Arts, New York.
Exhibited: Kunstindustri Museet, Copenhagen, 1950, no. 465 (according to label).
Archives. Ancient Chinese Arts, China House of Arts, New York, 1986, cat. no. 34.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 325. An inscribed rectangular painted 'Cizhou''figural' pillow, Northern Song-Yuan dynasty (960-1368). Length 16⅛ in., 40.9 cm. Lot sold: 31,500 USD (Estimate: 25,000 - 35,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
with a five-character inscription reading Zhangbin Yiren zhi (Made by the idler of the bank of the Zhang), the base with an inscription reading Zhao ji xx yi hao in black ink.
Note: Notable on account of its inscription, Zhangbin Yiren zhi, the present lot belongs to a small group of finely painted Cizhou pillows that were made by this unidentified master craftsman who was working at the kilns. Decorated with a narrative scene within a lobed, shaped cartouche reserved against a dense floral ground, this piece is an archetypal example of the pillows that have been attributed to this maker.
For closely related examples with the same inscription, see one in the Musée Guimet, Paris (accession no. MA6204); another purchased from George Eumorfopoulos in 1936, in the British Museum, London (accession no. 1936.1012.219); and a third excavated in Cixian, Hebei province in 1997, illustrated in the Complete Collection of Ceramic Art Unearthed in China, vol. 3: Hebei, Beijing, 2008, p. 186. See also another pillow attributed to this master, with a 266-character-long inscription and of great historical importance, gifted by Mr. and Mrs. Yang Yongde to the Museum of the Western Han Tomb of Nanyue King, Guangzhou, illustrated in Gems from the Relics of the Museum of the Western Han Tomb of the Nanyue King, Guangzhou, 2007, p. 123. The latter three all have four-character marks to the base that attribute them to Wang Shouming, who was believed to have produced pillows in Cixian, Hebei.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022
Lot 326. A Qingbai molded 'fish' dish, Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279). Diameter 4⅝ in., 12 cm. Lot sold: 7,560 USD (Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000 USD). © Sotheby's 2022
Provenance: China House of Arts, New York, circa 1980
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 september 2022