Indonesia, Java: A mythical animal made of bronze, top part or handle of an oil lamp, East Java culture, 10th/14th century.
Indonesia, Java: A mythical animal made of bronze, top part or handle of an oil lamp, East Java culture, 10th/14th century.
A composite mythical creature cast in bronze. With the body of a bird with long tail feathers (a rooster or a stylised ‘Garuda’, the ‘bird of the gods’ and the mount of the Hindu god Vishnu). The head matches that of a ‘Makara’, a fantastic sea monster with his mouth wide open and an elephant’s trunk. From the Makara’s mouth another, smaller mythical animal emerges, featuring an open mouth and horns (probably a mythological lion known as ‘Singa’). This top part or handle of an oil lamp is a very good example of the style of East Javanese bronzes, in which all forms dissolve into dynamic curves, volutes and curled spirals. With visibly very old shiny patina and remains of verdigris.
A specimen with museum quality! Age-related damage: the end of the tail feathers is broken. 10th to 14th century; H: 11 cm, L: 13 cm. (ME)
Provenance: Joe Gerena Collection, New York/Brussels; American collection.
Lit.: ‘Borobudur, Kunst und Religion im alten Java, 8.-14. Jhdt.’ by Heide Theisen (catalogue), Künstlerhaus Vienna, 1977, ill. 76, 73, 17; ‘Java und Bali’ by Margrit Thomsen (catalogue), ill. p. 75.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
05.11.2014 - 13:00
- Estimate:
-
EUR 4,000.- to EUR 5,000.-
Indonesia, Java: A mythical animal made of bronze, top part or handle of an oil lamp, East Java culture, 10th/14th century.
A composite mythical creature cast in bronze. With the body of a bird with long tail feathers (a rooster or a stylised ‘Garuda’, the ‘bird of the gods’ and the mount of the Hindu god Vishnu). The head matches that of a ‘Makara’, a fantastic sea monster with his mouth wide open and an elephant’s trunk. From the Makara’s mouth another, smaller mythical animal emerges, featuring an open mouth and horns (probably a mythological lion known as ‘Singa’). This top part or handle of an oil lamp is a very good example of the style of East Javanese bronzes, in which all forms dissolve into dynamic curves, volutes and curled spirals. With visibly very old shiny patina and remains of verdigris.
A specimen with museum quality! Age-related damage: the end of the tail feathers is broken. 10th to 14th century; H: 11 cm, L: 13 cm. (ME)
Provenance: Joe Gerena Collection, New York/Brussels; American collection.
Lit.: ‘Borobudur, Kunst und Religion im alten Java, 8.-14. Jhdt.’ by Heide Theisen (catalogue), Künstlerhaus Vienna, 1977, ill. 76, 73, 17; ‘Java und Bali’ by Margrit Thomsen (catalogue), ill. p. 75.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
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| Auction: | Tribal Art |
| Auction type: | Saleroom auction |
| Date: | 05.11.2014 - 13:00 |
| Location: | Vienna | Palais Dorotheum |
| Exhibition: | 31.10. - 05.11.2014 |