Myanmar, culture of Pagan (Bagan) Sandstone Sandstone head of a Buddhist monk - 21.5 cm
11
days
20
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11
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49
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Current bid
€ 500
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 5,500 - € 7,000
 | €500 | |
|---|---|---|
| €300 | |
 | €80 | |
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Sandstone head of a Buddhist monk from Pagan–Bagan, Myanmar, dating to the late 12th–early 13th century, measuring 21.5 cm high, 11.5 cm wide and 12 cm deep, in good original condition from a private French collection and previously owned by an auction house in Europe, acquired in 1990.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
This remarkable head in sandstone constitutes a particularly expressive testimony of Buddhist sculpture developed at Pagan, the present-day Bagan, one of the great religious and artistic centers of medieval Southeast Asia.
The figure is depicted with an entirely shaven scalp, long ears with stretched lobes, a wide and serene face, and eyes that are almost closed. The absence of an uṣṇīṣa and conventional hair leads to recognizing not an image of the Buddha, but more likely a Buddhist monk or disciple, belonging to a broader religious ensemble.
The treatment of the face is especially appealing: broad forehead, full-cheek modeling, elongated eyelids, a discreetly smiling mouth, and deliberately simple volumes create an expression of inner calm and concentration. This ample and supple modeling fits within the evolution of Pagan sculpture in the 12th and 13th centuries, a period during which a more distinctly Burmese language develops, characterized by rounder faces and a robust construction of forms. These characteristics are described in the works of Claudine Bautze-Picron dedicated to Pagan sculpture.
The piece also preserves all the material interest of an ancient architectural sculpture. Breaks at the level of the neck and shoulders, as well as irregular areas visible at the back, indicate that it likely belonged to a figure of larger dimensions, probably integrated into a niche, a relief, or a monumental decoration. The literature devoted to Pagan documents precisely the use of stone for large sculpted series integrated into religious monuments.
The surface shows beautiful ancient weathering, natural variations in hue, and a mineral patina that give the sculpture a very authentic presence. The features remain sufficiently preserved to retain all the strength and serenity of the face. No modern restoration is detectable.
Presented today on a discreet black base, this head possesses an almost timeless quality: sober, monumental despite its contained dimensions, it works just as well as a historical fragment as an autonomous sculpture.
Myanmar, Pagan / Bagan, 12th–13th century. Sandstone. Provenance: former French private collection.
video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/z0zvo3zsbdfepiju8t9rr/AIg9SMxKoA8oHcVP51zQc5o?rlkey=2o9tn3mlwm8awebknl2nxqlg9&dl=0
Seller's Story
MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION
For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector.
Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken.
Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion.
Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such.
Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation.
Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research.
The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit.
Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google TranslateThis remarkable head in sandstone constitutes a particularly expressive testimony of Buddhist sculpture developed at Pagan, the present-day Bagan, one of the great religious and artistic centers of medieval Southeast Asia.
The figure is depicted with an entirely shaven scalp, long ears with stretched lobes, a wide and serene face, and eyes that are almost closed. The absence of an uṣṇīṣa and conventional hair leads to recognizing not an image of the Buddha, but more likely a Buddhist monk or disciple, belonging to a broader religious ensemble.
The treatment of the face is especially appealing: broad forehead, full-cheek modeling, elongated eyelids, a discreetly smiling mouth, and deliberately simple volumes create an expression of inner calm and concentration. This ample and supple modeling fits within the evolution of Pagan sculpture in the 12th and 13th centuries, a period during which a more distinctly Burmese language develops, characterized by rounder faces and a robust construction of forms. These characteristics are described in the works of Claudine Bautze-Picron dedicated to Pagan sculpture.
The piece also preserves all the material interest of an ancient architectural sculpture. Breaks at the level of the neck and shoulders, as well as irregular areas visible at the back, indicate that it likely belonged to a figure of larger dimensions, probably integrated into a niche, a relief, or a monumental decoration. The literature devoted to Pagan documents precisely the use of stone for large sculpted series integrated into religious monuments.
The surface shows beautiful ancient weathering, natural variations in hue, and a mineral patina that give the sculpture a very authentic presence. The features remain sufficiently preserved to retain all the strength and serenity of the face. No modern restoration is detectable.
Presented today on a discreet black base, this head possesses an almost timeless quality: sober, monumental despite its contained dimensions, it works just as well as a historical fragment as an autonomous sculpture.
Myanmar, Pagan / Bagan, 12th–13th century. Sandstone. Provenance: former French private collection.
video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/z0zvo3zsbdfepiju8t9rr/AIg9SMxKoA8oHcVP51zQc5o?rlkey=2o9tn3mlwm8awebknl2nxqlg9&dl=0
Seller's Story
MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION
For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector.
Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken.
Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion.
Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such.
Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation.
Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research.
The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit.
Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Culture
Myanmar, culture of Pagan (Bagan)
Century/timeframe
Fin XIIe au début du XIIIe siècle
Name of object
Sandstone head of a Buddhist monk
Acquired from
Private collection
Year acquired
1990
Material
Sandstone
Country acquired from
France
Condition
Good
Previous owner acquired from
Auction house
Height
21.5 cm
Previous owner - year acquired
2020
Width
11.5 cm
Previous owner - country acquired from
Europe
Depth
12 cm
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
Disclaimer
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
