Indonesia - Central Java Sandstone Important monumental Buddha head in andesite. - 41 cm
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Estimate € 60,000 - € 70,000
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Importante monumental Buddha head in Andesite from Central Java, dating to the 9th–10th century, 41 cm tall and weighing 41.7 kg, with original/authentic designation and provenance from European private collections.
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Description from the seller
Important monumental Buddha head in andesite, Central Java, 9th-10th century
Imposing Buddha head sculpted in heavy volcanic stone, characteristic of the great sculptural tradition of Central Java. With its 41 cm height and an exceptional weight of 41.7 kg, the work possesses a truly monumental presence.
The face, broad and serene, features deeply lowered eyes, continuous brow-ridges, a powerful nose and full lips delicately arched. A raised urna marks the center of the forehead. The long ears with stretched lobes frame the face, while the coiffure is organized into numerous spiral curls around a high ushnisha.
One particularly interesting aspect of this sculpture lies in its entirely three-dimensional treatment: the hair extends widely behind the head, confirming that it was a true sculpted volume and not merely a frontal fragment.
The material, the facial architecture, the meditative eyelids, the elongated lobes and the coiffure find significant correspondences in the great Central Javanese Buddhist sculpture of the 9th century, notably in the artistic context to which Borobudur belongs. The traditional attribution to the 9th-10th century remains fully coherent with the institutional comparisons studied.
The surface preserves ancient and natural weathering as well as a few small losses, without impairing the remarkable legibility of the face and the coiffure. This patina contributes to the strong mineral presence of the work.
Provenance: former Austrian family collection, reputedly acquired around 1960; then European private collections.
A sculpture of grand scale, particularly decorative and representative of one of the great moments of Southeast Asian Buddhist art.
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 TranslateImportant monumental Buddha head in andesite, Central Java, 9th-10th century
Imposing Buddha head sculpted in heavy volcanic stone, characteristic of the great sculptural tradition of Central Java. With its 41 cm height and an exceptional weight of 41.7 kg, the work possesses a truly monumental presence.
The face, broad and serene, features deeply lowered eyes, continuous brow-ridges, a powerful nose and full lips delicately arched. A raised urna marks the center of the forehead. The long ears with stretched lobes frame the face, while the coiffure is organized into numerous spiral curls around a high ushnisha.
One particularly interesting aspect of this sculpture lies in its entirely three-dimensional treatment: the hair extends widely behind the head, confirming that it was a true sculpted volume and not merely a frontal fragment.
The material, the facial architecture, the meditative eyelids, the elongated lobes and the coiffure find significant correspondences in the great Central Javanese Buddhist sculpture of the 9th century, notably in the artistic context to which Borobudur belongs. The traditional attribution to the 9th-10th century remains fully coherent with the institutional comparisons studied.
The surface preserves ancient and natural weathering as well as a few small losses, without impairing the remarkable legibility of the face and the coiffure. This patina contributes to the strong mineral presence of the work.
Provenance: former Austrian family collection, reputedly acquired around 1960; then European private collections.
A sculpture of grand scale, particularly decorative and representative of one of the great moments of Southeast Asian Buddhist art.
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
Indonesia - Central Java
Century/timeframe
IXe-Xe siècle
Name of object
Important monumental Buddha head in andesite.
Acquired from
Private collection
Year acquired
1993
Material
Sandstone
Country acquired from
Europe
Condition
Good
Previous owner acquired from
Auction house
Height
41 cm
Previous owner - year acquired
2022
Width
30 cm
Previous owner - country acquired from
Europe
Depth
28 cm
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
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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.
