Catalogue November Asian Art Society

"We are very honored to become the first Asia-based member of Asian Art Society. Having our Himalayan art gallery in the center of art district on Hong Kong Hollywood Road for over 30 years since 1985, has given us opportunities to meet countless of passionate visitors from all over the world every day. Asian Art Society has created this phenomenal idea and opportunity for art lovers. It offers many possibilities to our new generation, gives easier and faster access to explore the world of beautiful fine arts , yet lessen the trouble and stress from traveling. It is our great pleasure to join this thriving digital platform with fifteen other fine art galleries worldwide. We are looking forward to opening a new page, and meeting more people sharing the same interest and curiosity in the near future."

Hollywood Galleries

WHO WE arE

The Asian Art Society features an online catalogue every month listing quality works of Asian art that have been thoroughly vetted by our select members, who are the in-house experts.

By bringing together a group of trusted dealers specializing in Asian art, our platform offers a unique collection of works of art that collectors will not find anywhere else online. To ensure the highest standards, gallery membership is by invitation only and determined by a selection committee of influential gallerists

/asianartSociety

Cover image: an octogonal inlaid Deer mask. Presented by Thomas Murray.

Tabl E O f

s

Gr EGG B A k E r

Gregg Baker Asian Art established in London in 1985 specialises in Japanese art. From January 2021 we will be located in Brussels and open by appointment only. Our mission is to promote the beauty and versatility of Japanese art focusing on antique Japanese screens, early Buddhist sculpture and classical works of art. With over 35 years of experience in traditional Japanese art, the gallery also carries works from the post-war era, presenting abstract painting, sculpture and calligraphy by leading Japanese artists of the mid-20th century, an important area of Japanese art which is currently being rediscovered by art lovers across the globe. We hold regular exhibitions at the gallery and participate in several international art fairs which include TEFAF Maastricht, Frieze Masters and Asian Art in London. The gallery is instrumental in building collections for an international clientele, as well as finding works for institutions and museums in Great Britain, U. S. A., Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and Japan. In an effort to raise awareness of Japanese art, Gregg Baker lectures to students of the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, SOAS (University of London), Sotheby’s Institute of Art and Christie’s Education, sharing his passion for this iconic art form with an ever-widening audience.

Contact

+44 (0) 20 7221 3533

info@japanesescreens.com

www.japanesescreens.com

W HEN AND HOW DID YOU BECO ME A COMPLETE J APANOPHILE?

I first became infatuated with Japan in the late 70’s when I was working as a sales clerk at Christie`s king Street London. I then went on to work for one of the leading dealers in Japanese art circa 1979 and eventually lived in Japan for a short time in the early 80’s. The single most influential experience was the Great Japan Exhibition at the royal Academy in 1981 I was completely hooked after seeing that.

YOU O p E n ED YOUR f IRST g ALLERY I n 1985 A n D YOU HAVE BEEN BASED IN LONDON EVE r SINCE H OWEVE r YOU r ECENTLY MADE YOU r Br E x IT, r IGHT? W ELCOME TO BrUSSELS! P LEASE TELL US ABOUT THIS DECISION AND YOU r NEW LOCATIO n. WhAT’S T h E f UTURE p LA n fOR T h E GALLE rY? A NY OTHE r P rOJECTS YOU WANT TO DEVELOP?

Yes, I opened my first gallery in Brooke Street Mayfair straight after my return from Japan in 1985. After 35 years of the pressures of running a gallery, I have decided it’s time for something new and with the changes going on the world just now, I looked at many options before choosing Brussels but eventually it was the city which made the most sense for me for several reasons. Firstly most of my clients are based in Europe and with the uncertainty of what Brexit might bring, I wanted to remain easily accessible to them. I also wanted a large space in which to display my pieces at a reasonable cost and real-estate in Brussels is very reasonable when compared to Paris and London as well as being perfectly located between the two. Lastly I want to work in a different way and therefore from now on, we will be open by appointment only, giving Virginie my fiancée and I more time to prepare future exhibitions and enjoy the continental life style.

Detail of Shaka Nyorai Japan, 13th/14th century, kamakura Period Gilt-wood, crystal inlays

HOW HAS THE ASIAN ArT MArkET EVOLVED SINCE 1985?

In the early 80’s there was much more dealer to dealer trade and the market for Japanese art was just coming of age due to the economic boom in Japan. Since then, things have become far more sophisticated and more focused on the collector with quality being very important. There has also been the rediscovery of Japanese artists who were working in the middle of the last century and this has become a whole new sector of the market and an important new facet to my own business.

I N THIS C r ISIS CONTE x T, HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTU rE ? W ILL THE DIGITALI z ATION HELP INVOLVING A YOUNGE r AUDIENCE INTO A SIAN ANTI q UE A rT SCENE?

The crisis has been a very important learning curve for us. It has proved to me that we can work in a different way and that people are becoming more and more comfortable buying directly from the website, especially when working with a reputable dealer. This will certainly make it much easier for young collectors to access pieces without the somewhat foreboding experience of entering a high-end gallery.

YOU HAVE PA rTICIPATED IN MANY A rT FAI r S, HOW IS YOU r E x PE r IENCE WITH THEI r ONLINE EDITION ? W HAT WAS YOU r E x PE r IENCE WITH TEFAF N EW YO rk ONLINE?

As you say I’m a veteran of the art fair and have participated in countless fairs since the mid 80’s. To discuss a piece with the dealer, see it in the flesh and be able to handle it is irreplaceable. However we are only at the beginning of the online experience and we did have a surprising amount of enquiries from the TEFAF New York edition.

In the early 80’s there was much more dealer trade and the market for Japanese art was of age due to the economic boom in Japan. things have become far more sophisticated focused on the collector with quality being tant. There has also been the rediscovery of tists who were working in the middle of the and this has become a whole new sector and an important new facet to my own business.

The crisis has been a very important learning us. It has proved to me that we can work way and that people are becoming more comfortable buying directly from the website, cially when working with a reputable dealer. certainly make it much easier for young access pieces without the somewhat forbidding

As you say I’m a veteran of the art fair and pated in countless fairs since the mid 80’s. piece with the dealer, see it in the flesh and handle it is irreplaceable. However we are beginning of the online experience and

A Two-Fold Screen depicting the Uji Bridge Japan, 17th century, Edo Period Ink, colour, gold and silver on paper

MA dealer to dealer was just coming Japan. Since then, sophisticated and more being very impor of Japanese ar the last century of the market business.

YOU HELP INTO learning curve for work in a different more and more website, espe dealer. This will young collectors to forbidding expe

and have partici 80’s. To discuss a and be able to are only at the we did have a

D ID YOU NOTICE NEW COLLECTO r S TU r NING TO A rT AS AN INVESTMENT?

Honestly I despise the concept of art being an investment. However I do unfortunately think it is here to stay. That said, I believe the true collector simply buys things because they love them and they realise they will gain far more from a wonderful piece of art which truly touches them than they ever will from making money out of it.

D O YOU COLLECT MANY OF THE PIECES YOU r SELF, O r DO YOU SEE THEM ALL AS ITEMS TO SELL?

Yes of course I have many pieces which are not for sale. A dealer is simply a collector who can’t afford to keep everything. If Virginie had her way, we would never sell another thing!

C AN YOU GIVE US AN ANECDOTE O r TWO r EGA r DING UNUSUAL PU rCHASES O r SALES?

One of my first international fairs was held in Santa Monica in 1993. A gentleman came along and wanted to buy a screen which I had on show. It was an expensive object for me at that time (around $20,000) but I didn’t know him and he had no means to pay for it there and then, yet wanted to take it away with him. After checking with a few colleagues, I was told he was good for the money and I placed the screen in to the back of his Mercedes, balanced on the headrests and off he went. It turned out he was Bill Clark, founder of the Clark Centre for Japanese Art and Culture who later donated his collection valued at over $25m to the Minneapolis Institute of Art! We became good friends after this and he continued to buy from me for many years.

W HAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS STA rTING OUT COLLECTING A SIAN A rT?

Find a dealer you feel comfortable with, spend time asking questions and learning from him. Buy from your heart and buy the very best you can afford.

Frieze Masters 2019

NOVEM b E r ar TWO r K s

Pieces are published and changed each month. The objects are presented with a full description and corresponding dealer’s contact information. Unlike auction sites or other platforms, we empower collectors to interact directly with the member dealers for enquiries and purchases by clicking on the e-mail adress.

In order to guarantee the quality of pieces available in the catalogues, objects are systematically validated by all our select members, who are the in-house experts.. Collectors are therefore encouraged to decide and buy with complete confidence. In addition to this, the Asian Art Society proposes a seven-day full money back return policy should the buyer not feel totally satisfied with a purchase.

Items presented in the last section are all priced under 10.000 euros. Feel free to ask the price if the artwork is listed with a price on request.

aM ida b udd H a

Sculpture

Japan

Gilt wood, crystal inlays

Muromachi period

15th century

Height: 50 cm

Price: on request

Obje

C t P R e S e N ted by:

Gregg Baker

M.: + 44 (0) 20 7221 3533

E.: info@japanesescreens.com

A gilt-wood figure of Amida Buddha seated in kekka fuza (lotus position) the hands in jō-in (meditation mudra).

The head is adorned with crystals representing the byakugō (white spiralling hair) on the forehead and the nikkei-shu (red jewel on the protrusion on top of the Buddha’s head).

Belief in Amida as Lord of the Western Paradise rose in popularity during the late 10th century in Japan. Based primarily on the concept of salvation through faith, it was not only a religion which appealed to a broad range of people, but also a direct assertion of piety against the dogmatic and esoteric ritual of the more traditional Tendai and Shingon sects. In Amida’s Western paradise the faithful are reborn, to progress through various stages of increasing awareness until finally achieving complete enlightenment.

The symbolism of the jō-in mudra is closely associated with the concept of complete absorption of thought by intense contemplation of a single object of meditation. The formation of the two circles by the two hands representing respectively the world of the Buddhas (right hand) and that of Sentient Beings (left hand) indicates that the Law conceived by the Buddha is sustained by Sentient Beings who integrate themselves into it completely. The two juxtaposed circular shapes represent the accomplishment and the perfection of Buddhist Law in its relationship to all Beings.

a Quails a N d Mill ET

Screen Japan

Ink, colour and gold leaf on paper

Edo period

18th/19th century

74.5cm x 256cm

Price: 26.000 euros

In Japan uzura (quails) are emblematic of autumn, fruitfulness and also symbolise martial valour due to their fighting spirit. They have been mentioned in poems and literature since early times such as Kojiki (records of Ancient Matters, a collection of myths compiled in 712), Manyōshū, (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves, the Japanese oldest collection of poetry from the late 8th century) and Ise Monogatari (Tales of Ise, a collection of poems and narratives from the Heian period, 9th-10th century). A popular motif for paintings especially from the Muromachi period onwards they are usually depicted with millet or autumnal grasses and their popularity in the artworks continues to this day.

Millet is also associated with autumn and was introduced from the mainland to Japan during the Yayoi period (900BC – 250AD).

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Gregg Baker

M.: + 44 (0) 20 7221 3533

E.: info@japanesescreens.com

OK i MONO s ET O f TOads

Sculpture

By izumi sukeyuki (1838-1918)

Japan

Wood

Meiji-period (1868- 1912)

Height: 9 Width:11cm Depth: 15cm

Provenance : private Japanese collection

remark : one amber eye of the male figure has a tiny damage which can be restored to invisible.

Price: 26.000 euros

Lifelike carved set of wooden toads (kaeru / gama) with coloured patina and inlaid eyes in amber (kohaku), dating back to the Meiji-period (1868- 1912). The set represents a family. The mother with little frog is signed “gama tei” (art name of the artist) while the male frog has the artist’s real name “Sukeyuki”

Sukeyuki lived in Omi Province, present day Shiga Prefecture, in the town of Bamba. He was a master carver of butsudan or family Buddhist altars. On a visit to Hida-Takayama, he was amazed to see the okimono and netsuke by the carver Sukemizu and resolved to start carving similar pieces. Sukeyuki’s own sensitive talent for sculpture made his wood studies famous, so that his work influenced an entire generation of Shiga artists.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

kitsune Gallery

M.: +32 476 87 85 69

E.: arie.vos@kitsune.be

a TOKONa ME Jar

Jar Japan

Ceramic Muromachi period

15th/16th century

Height: 51 cm

Price: 12.000 euros

During the kamakura (1185-1333) and Muromachi (1333-1568) periods, the kiln sites at Seto, Tamba, Shigaraki, Tokoname, Echizen and Bizen produced durable, high-fired stoneware vessels.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Gregg

Baker

M.: + 44 (0) 20 7221 3533

E.: info@japanesescreens.com

Tokoname jars were made by piling coils of clay, smoothing the interior and exterior surfaces, and allowing the clay to dry before adding another section. The wide rim and mouth were then formed on a potter’s wheel and added to the top of the jar. The small base allowed the vessel to stand safely on a narrow step on the steep slope of a rising kiln floor; such kilns were built into the side of a hill and used wood for firing. The natural ash glazes took about a week to ten days to form and created unevenly coloured and randomly glazed surfaces often spotted with particles of fired earth that dropped from the kiln ceiling. Tokoname, which focused on agricultural storage vessels, was the largest centre of ceramic production in medieval Japan.

The rustic qualities embodied in these stone wares were perfectly suited for use in chanoyu (the tea ceremony) which, from the late fifteenth century, had become increasingly imbued with the newly emerging wabi-sabi sensibility, emphasising an admiration for the imperfect over the perfect.

i NGYO (s E al) NET su KE

Netsuke

Signed by Yamada Masanao Japan

Boxwood

Late Edo-period, Circa 1850-60

Length : 16,5 cm

Provenance : private American collection

Price: 12.000 euros

An unusual netsuke carved as a realistic group of five Reishi fungus attached by a linked chain to a bell-shaped seal reading “Takuan”, referring to the rinzaishu zen master Takuan Soho (1573-1645). We might assume that the seal was used by a representative (perhaps an abbot) of a temple with a history related to Takuan Soho. Signed by Yamada Masanao from Ise and entirely carved from a single piece of wood.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: kitsune Gallery

M.: +32 476 87 85 69

E.: arie.vos@kitsune.be

Noh Theater mask representing the ghost of a jealous woman who became a demon.

K O-Ha NNYa N OH

M as K (saru Ga K u

M as K)

Mask Japan

Wood and lacquer

Muromachi period

Early 15th century

Height: 25 Width: 14,5 cm

Collector’s box

Exhibited and published in The Beauty of Noh, an exhibition commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Noh Museum of artifacts, Japan, 2001.

Price on request

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Galerie Mingei

M.: + 33 (0)6 09 76 60 68

E.: info@mingei-arts-gallery.com

N OH M as K, TY p E “Ha NNYa”

Mask Japan Wood, lacquer Edo period, Early 19th century Collector’s box

Provenance : Hirohashi Dainagon (1785-1830)

Price on request

Galerie Mingei

M.: + 33 (0)6 09 76 60 68

E.: info@mingei-arts-gallery.com

The Hannya (般若 ) mask is a mask used in Noh theatre, representing a jealous female demon. It possesses two sharp bull-like horns, metallic eyes, and a leering mouth.

The name Hannya (般若) is a Sino-Japanese word for prajna or wisdom. One tradition states that this name was given to this mask because it was the name of an artist monk hannya-bō (般若坊) who is said to have perfected its creation. An alternative explanation is that the artist would need a great deal of wisdom in order to create this mask.

The hannya mask is used in many noh and kyōgen Japanese plays, as well as in Shinto ritual kagura dances. The Hannya mask portrays the souls of women who have become demons due to obsession or jealousy. Plays in which a person may wear the Hannya mask include Aoi no Ue and Dōjōji; its use in these two plays, two of the most famous of the Noh repertoire, and its distinctive and frightening appearance make it one of the most recognizable Noh masks.

The Hannya mask is said to be demonic and dangerous but also sorrowful and tormented, displaying the complexity of human emotions. When the actor looks straight ahead, the mask appears frightening and angry; when tilted slightly down, the face of the demon appears to be sorrowful, as though crying.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

s aru Ga K u M as K, d EMON TY p E

Mask Japan Wood Muromachi period (1336-1573)

15th century

Height: 21,8 Width: 19,5 cm Price on request

A sarugaku mask representing a demon that prefigures the character of Beshimi, before the establishment of the codification of the noh masks. Sarugaku is the archaic term for what is now known as nōgaku, a classical drama composed of noh and Kyōgen plays. Conventional theory on the origins of sarugaku points to sangaku (“miscellaneous arts”) introduced from the continent that are said to have merged with indigenous performing arts and gradually evolved into the highly perfected singing and dance drama that is passed down today.

E.:

sH i Va l i NGa M

Sculpture Vietnam, Champa

10th–12th century

Height: 70 cm (27 ½ in)

Width and depth: 24 cm (9 ½ in)

Provenance: The Bibliotheca

Philosophica Hermetica (The ritman Library), Amsterdam

Price: 25.000 £

Joost

M.: +44 (0)20 7839 8200

E.: joost@joostvandenbergh.com

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

van den Bergh

b udd H a

Sculpture Laos Copper alloy

Circa 16th century

Height: 69 cm

Provenance: French collection since

1980s

Price: 13.000 euros

Obje

C t P R e S e N ted by:

Renaud

Montméat

M.: + 33 6 17 61 21 60

E.: montmeatartdasie@gmail.com

bH airaVa a N d

Kau M ari

Sculpture

Nepal Copper alloy

17th century

Height: 14 cm

Provenance: Arthur Milner, London

Nov 1, 2001

Price: 19.500 USD

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Hollywood Galleries

M.: + 852 2803 7273

E.: hollywoodgalleries@gmail.com

Ma H a K ali

Painting

Nepal

Pigments and gold on paper

18th century

Height: Page 42 / Miniature : 39 cm

Width: Page 29 / Miniature : 25,5 cm

Price: 18.000 euros

Mahakali, with ten heads and sixty four arm is shown standing on one leg resting on a beast. The powerful goddes is depicted over a lying figure of Shiva holding a trident trisula, a drum damaru a chopper karthika and a skullcup kapala. The multiheaded powerful and fierce goddess holding many attributes is shown in a halo of flames. Mahakali meaning « the great Kali » is the most powerful and fierce aspect of Kali.

See: Pratapaditya Pal, Art of Nepal, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1985, pp. 225-226.

M.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02

E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: Alexis renard

a brON z E l OT us

M a N dala

d E pi CT i NG THE

E i GHT M aT ri K a

Sculpture Nepal Bronze

16th-17th century

Diam.: 7 ⅛ in. or 18.3 cm

Price: 18.000 USD

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: kapoor Galleries

M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E.: info@kapoorgalleries.com

A bronze lotus springs from a stem decorated with foliate sprays at each of the stepped base’s four corners. Each of the eight movable petals is cast to convey several layers of the closed lotus bud. The goddesses within are identified by the implements they carry and their vahanas (mounts), corresponding to those of their male counterparts: Varahi atop a buffalo, Mahalakshmi atop a lion, Maheshvari atop Nandi, Vaishnavi atop Garuda, Indrani atop an elephant, kumari atop a peacock, Brahmani atop a goose, and Chamunda atop a corpse. The present example bears a striking resemblance to the sixteenth-century Navadurga lotus mandala at the Newark Museum of Art (accession no. 90.400).

Virūpākṣa (West

Guardia N)

Sculpture

Tibet or China

Gilt bronze

18th century

Height: 12,2 cm

Provenance: German collection, acquired between 1955-1987

Published in 1987

Price: 17.000 USD

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: Hollywood Galleries

M.: + 852 2803 7273

E.: hollywoodgalleries@gmail.com

VaJ rada K a

Sculpture

Tibet

Copper alloy

Circa 15th century

Height: 14,5 cm

Price: 17.000 euros

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Renaud Montméat

M.: + 33 6 17 61 21 60

E.: montmeatartdasie@gmail.com

dEE r Mas K

Mask

Tibet, Bhutan, India

Wood, pigment

19th to early 20th century

Height: 61 cm / 24 in

Provenance: Ex Pace Gallery, Ex Victor Teicher

Price: 15000 euros / 16500 USD

This wrathful manifestation of the deer was used in morality dramas of Cham dances found throughout the Himalayas. The deer spirit is a powerful animal totem, the magic of which predates Buddhism in the Himalayas. It morphs from simple and innocent to powerful and dangerous, depending on the purity of a hunter’s soul.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: Thomas Murray

M.: + 1 415.378.0716

E.: thomas@tmurrayarts.com

Guardia N f i G ur E, bahan

Sculpture

khas People, Bajura district, Nepal

Wood, glass eyes

19th century or earlier

Height: 66 cm / 26 in

Provenance: Ex Private French collection

Published: Cortes, Jean-Luc, La Statuaire primitive de L’Ouest du népal, 2011, plate 1

Price: 15000 euros / 16500 USD

These figures served as village and household guardians in the far west of Nepal. Commonly mislabeled "spring figures," they arise from a different cultural impulse than that of "primitive" blackpatinated masking tradition found more to the east, often developing a thick smoked interior patina or heavily eroded surface from exterior exposure. They can be squatting or standing, but always have the arms up, hands together, as in prayer. This is a superb example, an archetypal expression of this unique art form.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: Thomas Murray

M.: + 1 415.378.0716

E.: thomas@tmurrayarts.com

Kapala bH airaVa

Sculpture

Nepal Wood

16th/17th century

Height: 68 cm / 27 in

Provenance: Ex Danish Private Collection

Price: 15000 euros / 16500 USD

Bhairava is the wrathful manifestation of Shiva, one of the three principal Hindu deities, the god of destruction. Bhairava takes eight forms, each with their own names and attributions. kapala Bhairava, seen here, is the sixth manifestation and is recognized by his mount an elephant. He is known to "End All Unrewarding Work and Action." In his hands he holds important ritual objects and weapons, each with their own symbolism, including a drum, chopper and human skull cup, kapala, from which he gets his name. His loins are wrapped in a tiger skin, he wears a necklace of human heads and a crown of skulls.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: Thomas Murray

M.: + 1 415.378.0716

E.: thomas@tmurrayarts.com

Ma H a K ala

Sculpture

Tibet

Black stone

Circa 14th century

Height: 7 cm

Provenance : Lionel Fournier collection, acquired 1970-80s

Price:

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Renaud Montméat

M.: + 33 6 17 61 21 60

E.: montmeatartdasie@gmail.com

a C H i NE s E meiren pai NT i NG

Painting

by Cui Yuanji China

Ink, colors and gold on paper qing Dynasty (1644-1912)

Circa 1800

Height: 93 cm. Width: 40 cm

provenance: gérard Lévy (19342016), a prominent antique dealer In Paris

Exhibited: Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris, 1986

Price: 12.000 euros

Comments: The subject is a meiren (literally “beautiful woman” in Chinese). Such paintings of female beauties were especially popular during the Qing dynasty, and often include erotic hints.

The standing young woman in this painting holds a fan painted with peony flowers in her left hand, and while she contemplates the orchid blossom in her right hand. Her hair is decorated with a single peony blossom and a long gold pin, while one of her two gold earrings is visible. A flower-shaped gold brooch is affixed to the round collar of her outer robe, while one of her underrobes in red is revealed below her right wrist, and in a thin line along her right thigh.

The revealed sleeve opening below her right wrist, with the touch of red, is meant to suggest female genitalia, and such a sexual trope is seen in other meiren paintings. This could be an actual portrait of a sex worker at a brothel, and might have served as an advertisement for her sexual allure, or as a souvenir for a client of the brothel.

The artist noted in the inscription is named Cui Yuanji, and information about him is yet to be discovered. He was certainly a talented artist who was able to capture the subtle eroticism of a young beauty.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: Alan kennedy

M.: + 1 646 753-4938

E: kennedyalan@hotmail.com

a GO ld p E rfu ME

HO ld E r, p OM a N d E r

Pomander China Gold

Song/Jin dynasty

11th/12th century

Height: 3 3/8in or 8.5cm

Price: 10.000 £

Crafted from a sheet of gold, pierced and decorated in repoussé and chasing technique, the teardrop-shaped container composed of two halves with one side fitting tightly into the other, meant to hold fragrant leaves or scented material and to be suspended from either a belt or attached to a shawl.

Compare similar examples published in Adornment for Eternity (Denver Art Museum, 1994) by Julia M. White and Emma C. Bunker. p 186, no. 98, and in Adornment for the Body and Soul, Ancient Chinese Ornaments from the Mengdiexuan Collection (Hong kong: The university Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong kong, 1999), Emma C. Bunker, Julia M. White, and Jenny F. So, p. 289 no.131.

See also a pomander excavated from a woman’s tomb in Nanjing in 1980 published in Wenwu(Beijing: 1982.3), pl. 3 no. 1, and in Zhongguo meishu quanji (Beijing: renmin Meishu Chubanshe, 1988) by Yang Boda, vol. 10, p. 41, pls. 86 & 87.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Sue Ollemans

M.: + 44 (0) 7775 566 356

E.: sue@ollemans.com

A gold pendant of similar form decorated in openwork with a phoenix and peony design, excavated in 1980 from a Northern Song tomb at Mufushan, Nanjing, and now in the collection of the Nanjing Museum, is illustrated in Compendium of Chinese Works of Art, Arts and Crafts 10: Gold, Silver, Glass, and Cloisonné (Beijing: 1987), p. 41, nos. 86 and 87, with description on p. 25, where the author states that this type of pendant was worn on a silk cord or necklace and used as a pomander.

Another similar gold ’twin phoenix’ pendant is illustrated in the catalogue of the special exhibition organized by the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong kong, entitled Celestial Creations, Art of the Chinese Goldsmith: The Cheng Xun Tang Collection, (Hong kong: 2007), Vol. I, pp. 224–225, described as a scarf pendant and attributed to the Song dynasty.

Śi Va

Sculpture

Northern India, Uttar Pradesh

Sandstone

Circa 11th century

Height: 81 cm

Provenance: Private collection, England, since the 1980s ; Christie’s, new York, 2007 ; private collection, France.

Price: 55.000 euros

M.: + 33 (0) 1 53 30 09 65

E.: info@galeriehioco.com

The bull Nandi in the lower part of the stele makes it possible to identify with certainty the god as Śiva. The deity stands here in an elegant tribhanga posture and wears a long dhotî secured at the waist by a festoon belt adorned with pearls, as well as the Brahmanic cord on his torso. Wearing an ascetic’s bun, Śiva has a beard and a moustache emphasizing his masculine character. Ancient mutilations prohibit the identification of the attributes held in his eight hands. he could be identified as Bhairava, although many of the features inherent in this aspect are missing (fangs at the corner of the lips, nudity leaving the sex visible, snake-like ornament, dog as companion). The openwork isolates the divine body and gives the god a real presence. The treatment of the face and the jewelry, as well as the beautiful modeling are found on artworks from northern Uttar Pradesh in medieval times, for example in Khajurāho.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: Christophe Hioco

Śākyamuni

b udd H a

Sculpture

northeast India (Bihār, Bengal)

Black stone

pāla dynasty (8th-12th century)

Circa 10th century

Height: 43 cm

Provenance: Private collection, Germany, acquired in the 1960s

Price: 35.000 euros

This beautiful representation of the Blissful One is of a significant size. Originally, Buddha was probably figured sitting on a lotus, his right hand sketching the fear-allaying gesture (abhaya mudrā) while his left hand was resting in his lap. The monastic garment he is wearing covers his left shoulder only. Of the distinctive signs (laksana) of a “great man” (mahāpurusa), tradition kept only two essential items in its images, both of which are evident here: the fleshy protuberance on the crown of the head (usnīsa) and the whorl of hair on the lower forehead (ūrnā). The earlobes distended by the wearing of heavy gold jewelry demonstrate the renouncing of the vanities of his former worldly life. The face was surrounded by a halo, as evidenced at the base of Buddha’s right earlobe. Stylistically speaking, this piece appears to predate that characterizing pāla art as of the 11th century. The elongated face, with its full lips and somewhat protruding eyes, is similar to post-Gupta art of the 7th-8th century, and beyond that to classic Indian art of the 5th-6th century.

Obje

Christophe Hioco

M.: + 33 (0) 1 53 30 09 65

E.: info@galeriehioco.com

C t P R e S e N ted by:

H E ad O f THE GO d

Ha N u M

Sculpture

a N

Northern India

Sandstone

10th-12th century

Height 29,3 / 34 cm with stand

Width 20 - Depth 22 cm

Provenance: formerly in the collection of Seward kennedy, acquired in the 1960’s.

Price: 22.000 euros

This beautiful sandstone sculpture, which dates to between the 10th and 12th centuries, depicts Lord Hanuman, leader of the monkey army and hero of the ramayana. In this epic tale, Hanuman is the brave companion of Prince rama, who helps the prince to find his wife Sita, abducted by the demon Ravana.

A comparable sandstone head of Hanuman from Madhya Pradesh is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago (Inv. 1997.720), while another example from Uttar Pradesh, dating to the 11th century, is held by the Norton Simon Museum of Pasadena, California (Inv. M.1975.18.2.S).

M.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02

E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: Alexis renard

Head of d urgā

Sculpture Northern India

Terracotta

Gupta period

5th – 6th century

Height: 25 cm

Provenance: Private collection, hong Kong ; private collection, Italie

Price: 19.000 euros

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Christophe Hioco

M.: + 33 (0) 1 53 30 09 65

E.: info@galeriehioco.com

Exceptional in style and workmanship, this terracotta head is an early witness to the first representations of Hinduism in Bangladesh. The superb face, the neck with its beauty folds, a large part of the elaborate headdress and the divine nimbus have fortunately been preserved. Particularly noteworthy is the work of the very sophisticated headdress, consisting of multiple small braided locks falling in cascade, while a headband adorned with raw earth pellets imitating stones lets visible curls of hair on the forehead. The tiara, enriched with a central jewel, imitated a goldsmith’s work; the ornaments visible on the back probably correspond to embroidered textiles. The expression of the goddess is serene. Her face, very refined, is a perfect oval. The contours of her elongated eyes are carefully incised and the eyelids droop slightly, underlined by long graphic eyebrows. The cheeks are full and the fleshy lips with a sensitive shape sketch a slight smile. The classicism of the features shows all the refinement achieved during the gupta period, the golden age of Indian art.

Ma H araJa Vi JaY

s i NGH O f Mar W ar

Painting

Jodhpur

Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper 1805-1815

Image: 10 ¾ x 15 in. or 27.3 x 38.1cm

Folio: 12 ½ x 17 in. or 32 x 43 cm.

Provenance: Private European collection.

Price: 18.000 USD

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: kapoor Galleries

M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E.: info@kapoorgalleries.com

This scene is a posthumous portrait commemorating Maharaja Vijay Singh of Jodhpur (b. 1729, r. 17521793 and 1772-1793). It may be surmised that the present work is an imagined depiction intended to underscore the rightful lineage to the throne as claimed by Maharaja Man Singh, under whose reign this painting was produced.

The raja is depicted among his relatives and courtiers in a darbar or formal audience. Three young rathore princes, each with a sun emblem in their turban, sit on folded knees before him with their hands uniformly pressed in respect. Other members of their entourage, nobles from the ruling families of Marwar, are seated in attendance behind them, holding black dhal shields with their katars visible in their waistbands. Thakurs sit and stand behind Bijay Singh holding various symbols of rank and authority, one waving a ceremonial flag.

Behind the group, a backdrop of brilliant crimson— a wall adorned with gold floral sprays, capped by a repeated motif of floral gold niche designs—runs along the top. This backdrop appears to be a motif employed during the reign of Man Singh. Another painting from the period, attributed to the artist Udai ram, depicts Man Singh visiting the Nath holyman, Jallandharnathji, and likewise shows a similar backdrop of crimson and gold florals with a cap of gold niches lining the top of the image (see r. Crill, Marwar painting, Mumbai, 1999, fig.126, p.151.).

For a very similar courtly painting from nineteenth-century Marwar, see Ducrot, Daljeet, & Cimino’s Four centuries of rajput painting: Mewar, Marwar, and Dhundhar, Milan, 2009, p. 108, MA 20. This comparable painting depicts a later Maharaja of Marwar whose dressed turban is ornamented in a nearly identical fashion. Both wear an orange rathore-style pagri adorned with an aigrette, jewels and a circular radiant-sun emblem. Note the simple approach to the sky against the otherwise-detailed palace scene and the attempted use of perspective with the canopy.

sTONE HE ad O f H EVaJ ra

Sculpture

India

Stone

Pala dynasty

Circa 12th century

Height: 19 cm (7 1/2 in)

Width: 23 cm (9 in)

Provenance:

Private collection, Germany

Price: 16.000 £

Hevajra iconography is described in the Hevajratantra which was first composed in India probably in the 800s. Hevajra has eight heads, sixteen arms, and four legs. Shri Hevajra is a principal meditational deity of the Anuttarayoga classification in Buddhist Tantra. According to the Sakya system Hevajra belongs to the sub-class of ‘non-dual’ tantra. The Kagyu system classifies hevajra as ‘Wisdom-mother’ tantra. from the numerous texts within the cycle of Hevajra the root Tantra of ‘Two Sections’ is the most important.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Joost van den Bergh

M.: +44 (0)20 7839 8200

E.: joost@joostvandenbergh.com

sTar-s H ap E d

Ti M urid T il E

Tile

Northeast Iran, Probably khaf or khargird, khorassan

Ceramic decorated in cuerda seca or black line technique, gold leaf

Timurid Period

Circa 1442-1443

Height: 36 Width 34,5 cm

Provenance: old private Belgian collection, acquired through Mr. J. van den Bergh, former president of the Museum Oud Overschie, collection of the late Mr. J.W.N. van Achterbergh

Price on request

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Alexis renard

M.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02

E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com

This ceramic star-shaped Timurid tile shows a design of vegetal patterns and flowers reserved against a deep cobalt background. We can still see remains of gilding. The technique is using gold leaf applied with arabic gum above the glaze.

Tiles such as this example are known to have been placed in combination with others on the Iwan in the Ghiyasiyya Madrasa in khargird in the Northeast of Iran. This building was finished in 846 Ah / 1442-43 AD and made for ghiyath al-Din pir Ahmad Khvafi, one of the viziers of the Timurid Shah rukh.

While these tiles are usually attributed to the mosque of Khargird, their actual location is difficult to determine. Bernard O’Kane made an inventory of similar tiles in several other mosques from khorasan.

Furthermore, during his journey across the region in 1907, henry-René d’Allemagne photographed, in the mosque of khaf, a tile with an identical design as the one of the tile presented.

For related examples, see: Porter, V. (1995) Islamic tiles, London: published by British Museum Press, p. 69. See also: von Folsach, k. (2001) Art from the world of Islam in the David Collection, Copenhagen, p. 174, Ill. 226.

A closely related example is kept in the collection of the Louvre Museum in Paris (OA 6165). Another closely related star-form tile is kept in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of New York (Inv. 17.143.1) and published in: Lentz, T. W. & Lowry, G. (1989) Timur and the princely vision - Persian Art and Culture in the fifteenth Century, LACMA, p. 90, cat. no. 23.

u N d E r 10

M i NGE i ar T TO ba KO b ON

Smoking box set

Japan woodblocks

Bakumatsu-period

1çth century

Height : 19 cm

Base : 21 cm x 21 cm

Provenance : Ex- Edric Van

Vredenburgh collection.

Price: 6.000 euros

This 19th century “Bakumatsu-period” tobakobon (Japanese smoking box set) has been assembled from old ukyo-e calendar woodblocks. The use of recycled materials is a common thing in Mingei art (Japanese folk art); however very few examples survived, as these were seen as poor man’s objects of little importance. Today such items are sought after and very scarce on the art market. This piece is a trough collector’s item of museum quality

Obje C

kitsune Gallery

M.: +32 476 87 85 69

E.: arie.vos@kitsune.be

t P R e S e N ted by:

u sobuki kyōgen

O r/a N d K a G ura

M as K

Mask Japan Wood Edo period

18th century

Height: 17,5 Width 12, 5 cm

Price: 5.600 euros

Kyōgen masks are correlated to noh masks, and there is great discussion about which influenced which. Kyōgen is usually played in the intervals of noh plays. Unlike noh, Kyōgen is less formal, with a lighter religious tone, and more related to comedy, human nature and the search for meaning in daily life action. It is widely said that Kyōgen works as a scape valve for social and hierarchical tensions, as its main purpose is to make fun of important characters depicted in the Noh plays and in society in general.

Usobuki (or Usofuki) is the smallest of the characters representing the meaninglessness of the human condition in its impotent apex. Its eyes look surprised, but it is unable to scream or roar; it can only whistle, discreetly, cowardly, inconsequentially. Hence, Usofuki is also being used as the representation of insects and small animals. Hence, again, the origins of its own name: "uso" meaning lie, and "fuki" meaning to blow, to whistle.

M.: + 33 (0)6 09 76 60 68

E.: info@mingei-arts-gallery.com

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: Galerie Mingei

a TraY i N THE

fO r M O f Cr E s T i NG

WaVE s

Tray Suzuki hyōsaku II (1905-1991)

Japan

Kanshitsu (dry lacquer)

20th century

Height: 52,5 cm

Price: 3.800 euros

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Gregg Baker

M.: + 44 (0) 20 7221 3533

E.: info@japanesescreens.com

This is accompanied by a tomobako (original wood box) inscribed and signed by the artist.

Suzuki hyōsaku II (1905-1991) was born in Kyoto with the given name of Teiji. He learned lacquering techniques under his father Suzuki hyōsaku I (18741943). hyōsaku II launched his creative career in 1926 at the age of 21 winning a prize for his work at the Shotoku Taishi Competitions. In 1934, he exhibited at the Ryukeiha Crafts Exhibition, producing up to the minute contemporary work. He later exhibited a lacquered mirrored cosmetic stand at the Great Paris Exposition and won a silver prize.

a MO uld E d

CE lad ON CON i C al

b OW l

Bowl korea

Moulded on the interior with three peonies

12-13th century

Height: 7,9 cm

Diameter: 16,7 cm

Price: 1.400 euros

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Renaud Montméat

M.: + 33 6 17 61 21 60

E.: montmeatartdasie@gmail.com

A long string of hollow gold beads each of a different form made from lost wax process.

a GO ld b E ad NECK la CE

Necklace

Central Java Gold

9 – 12th century

Length: 87 cm

Price: 4.500 £

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Sue Ollemans

M.: + 44 (0) 7775 566 356

E.: sue@ollemans.com

Bordered by a twisted wire and a row of pearls both made of gold, a transparent tourmaline green water color is set on the top of the ring on which shoulders are incised two jumping tigers..

GO ld ri NG ring

South of Thailand, South East Asia Gold, crystalline Boron silicate known as Tourmaline.

18th century

Price: 4.500 euros

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Cédric le Dauphin

M.: +33 6 07 82 95 08

E.: c.ledauphin@gmail.com

KE ris H a N dl E

keris Handle

Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia

Hippopotamus Ivory

First part of 19th century or earlier

Height: 7 Length: 9,5 cm

Price: 1.800 euros

known as panghulu Model, this kriss handle is from the Bugis type and in the form of Garuda the divine vehicle of Vishnu. The form almost in a square angle form is typical of the ancient Malaysian sculptors. It is made in Hippopotamus ivory as the black typical line shows in the structure of the ivory itself. You can notice it in the front and back of the handle. It is patinated with nuances of honey colors and have traces of metal oxidation coloring at the base of the handle under the selut, showing trace of the cleansing of the kriss. The selut is made of silver in the style of the Malay Peninsula.

Tib ETa N p raYs bOOK COVE r

Manuscript or book cover

Tibet, China

Wood and lacquer

15th century or earlier

74 x 30 x3,5 cm

Provenance: Ex collection of Sir M. France

Price: 8.000 euros

This Tibetan manuscript or book cover is decorated with gold pigments, and, within carved ëpearledí borders.

The centre of the cover is filled with foliated scrolls in rounds groups of vines and in the middle an almost hidden Makara. This mythical animal in-between elephant and crocodile, it is often placed at the entrance or on the sides of stairs of temples, as an invincible guardian of the most sacred places. Here it is his tail that seems to compose de flames/waves motive in the all scene. The total scene has been framed with stylised Lotus flowers and the succession of its petals garlands.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Cédric le Dauphin

M.: +33 6 07 82 95 08

E.: c.ledauphin@gmail.com

This kind of decor is very rare and replace the traditional displays of Hindu gods or Buddhas. One of the short edges ñ the edge that would have faced outwards on a shelf in a monastic library ñ has been carved in relief with the Five Transcendent Buddhas (Tathagatas) who preside over the five cardinal directions. Their face have been scrapped out most probably by Chinese military or administrator. Never the less they are recognisable by their specific mudra. They are, from left to right: Amoghasiddhi, Akshobhya, Vairochana, ratnamsambhava and Amitabha,.

On the far left side is a carved syllable from the Tibetan alphabet, which is the famous OM of the Om mani padme hum mantra.

It is not easy to determine the exact period of the creation of this exceptional cover; the style of the Buddhas on the side can let us think that it is in the 15th century or earlier that it was sculpted in Tibet. The reverse is plain and unadorned. We can just see remains of the red cinnabar lacquer. Such a cover would have been used in a monastery to encase a folding manuscript written on paper. The lot would have then been in cloth, thereby protecting the manuscript but also the cover. Wooden manuscript covers in Tibet tended to be decorated elaborately, to reflect the importance of the texts they protected. Wood was very scarce on the Tibet Plateau and was an expensive commodity so this again signifies the reverence with which the texts were accorded.

a l ar GE pO u CH

fO r a sN uff bOTT l E

Pouch Mongolia

Embroidery and braiding

Silk, metallic thread

Late 19th century

Heigh : 43 cm. Width: 17 cm.

Provenance: Private Collection United kingdom, bought in the 1990s

Price: 5.500 euros

Alan kennedy

M.: + 1 646 753-4938

E: kennedyalan@hotmail.com

The use of snuff, which is a tobacco product, was introduced to Mongolia from China, probably in the 18th century. The Chinese learned about tobacco as the result of earlier contact with Europeans. Traditionally, Mongolians greeted each other by a sharing the scents coming from their own snuff bottles.

Whereas a snuff bottle is a small object, pouches like this example are much larger. The bottle is inserted into a slit in the middle of the pouch, then the pouch is folded over, and held in place by the traditional sash that secures a Mongolian robe.

The motifs at the four corners of the pouch are known as ugalz in Mongolian, typically intertwined curvilinear and angular designs. They are executed incarefully embroidered rows of chain-stitched silk threads in gradated colors. Mongolians are known for their embroidery skills, however the silk thread would have been imported from China.

A similar snuff bottle pouch, also with a striking yellow ground color, is in the collection of the Bogd khaan Palace Museum, in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

a G ilT-brON z E

fi G ur E O f

Mai T r EYa

Sculpture

China

Gold and bronze

Pala-revival style

18th century

Height: 7 in. or 17.8 cm

Price: 8.000 USD

Maitreya is identifiable by the small water vessel (kundika) that sits atop the lotus behind his proper-left shoulder. This gilt-bronze figure of the future buddha is a wonderful example of the Pala-revival style produced in China during the qing period when Tibetan Buddhism flourished at court. The multitiered, round base with a beaded upper rim and flared lotus petals is typical of Pala-period sculptures (8th-12th century) as is the figure’s iconography—the standing posture was favored among Indian depictions of Maitreya. The reminisce of rich gilding, the lack of a sacred thread, the simplification of the jata or matted hair, and the modeling of the face, however, point to its later Chinese origin.

Himalayan Art resources (himalayanart.org), item no. 7631

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: kapoor Galleries

M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E.: info@kapoorgalleries.com

39

a s M all brass

fi G ur E O f GaJa

l a K s HM i

Sculpture

Eastern India, Orissa

Brass

18th century

Height: 3 1/4 in. or 8.5 cm

Price: 6.000 USD

Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, prosperity, good fortune, and purity. The four-armed goddess is adorned with jeweled ornaments and a fivepointed crown, seated on a lotus base, and sheltered by two elephants whose trunks meet as they bathe her overhead. She holds lotuses in her upper two hands and displays the varada (boon giving) and abhaya (feat dispeling) mudras with her primary hands, in accordance with standard iconography. The style of the present sculpture bears a close resemblance to a larger Orissan image of Gaja Lakshmi in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art attributed to the eighteenth century (M.74.40.1). This diminutive iteration of the goddess shares the hallmark qualities of Orissan bronzes which includes highly balanced proportions, a rounded and tapered lotus base, and a golden brass composition.

M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E.: info@kapoorgalleries.com

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: kapoor Galleries

a brass s H ri NE d E pi CT i NG umamahesvara

Sculpture Western India

Brass

Circa 18th century

Height: 16 cm (6 ¼ in)

Provenance:

Private collection, Italy

Price: 7.500 £

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Joost van den Bergh

M.: +44 (0)20 7839 8200

E.: joost@joostvandenbergh.com

Umamahesvara, the four-armed god Siva seated on a raised lotus stool, his consort on his left knee, his right foot resting on his vehicle Nandi, while her vehicle the lion is below her, his upper hands holding his axe and deer, wearing tall headdress, his eyes and belly button inlaid with rubies, on square plinth.

a pai NT i NG O f

s a M bara a N d r aT i

Painting

North India, Punjab Hills, Guler

Opaque watercolor on paper

circa 1830

Image: 9 5/8 x 6 5/8 in. or 24.6 x 16.8 cm

Folio: 11 ½ x 8 ½ in. or 29.2 x 21.6 cm

Provenance:

Maggs Bros Ltd., London. Private collection, acquired from the above 30 June 1984.

Price: 8.000 USD

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: kapoor Galleries

M.: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E.: info@kapoorgalleries.com

This illustration depicts the demon Sambara with rati, the hindu goddess of love and wife of kama. The beautiful Rati, devastated after the incineration of her husband, has been granted the boon of his reincarnation. She is promised that kama will be reborn as Pradyumna, the son of krishna. In order to accompany her husband into his rebirth, rati abandons her former body to be reborn as Mayavati, the wife of the demon Sambara. rati is told that the reincarnation of kama will someday slay Sambara, reuniting the lovers once again.

Compared to Mayavati-Rati’s small frame and delicate features, Sambara exudes virile power as he puts his arm around her. His large body is covered in finely rendered hairs and his eyebrow is raised in a seductive manner, eyes filled with lust. Despite the sexual tension in this scene, however, Mayavatirati never sleeps with Sambara, who is technically her husband. Although rati is the hindu goddess of carnal desire, lust, and sexual pleasure, she remains pure and untouched, donning an illusionary form to enchant Sambara. Saving herself for her true husband, Pradyumna, Mayavati only ever gives Sambara her shadow in bed –– hence the name Maya, meaning illusion.

Sambara appears to be leading Mayavati from a cave that is likely their home. The lush green Himilayan foothills around them is greatly influenced by Mughal landscape painting, the diminutive trees making the pseudo-couple appear larger than life.

Publications : de Selliers D. et Barbereau J. (2016), La Bhagavadgita illustrée par la peinture indienne, éditions Diane de Selliers, p.123 and p.125.

Jai N

r is H i M a N dala:

O M

Painting India, Jaipur

Pigments and gold on paper

First Half of the 19th century

Height: 34,7 Width 25,1 cm

Price: 5.500 euros

SOLD

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Alexis renard

M.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02

E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com

Mi N iaT ur E O f

illus T raT i ON s

frOM THE 'aJa'ib

a l-Ma KH lu Q aT

Painting India

Gold and pigments on paper

16th century

Height: 24 Width 12,5 cm

provenance: Armen Tokatlian’s collection, pierre Le Tan’s collection.

Price: 4.800 euros

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by: Alexis renard

M.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02

E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com

The ’Aja’ib Al-Makhluqat, or Marvels of Creation, is an important work in the field of cosmography, written by Zakarīyā ibn Muhammad al-Qazwīnī (born 1203) – a Persian man of letters and jurist.

This work is very popular in the Arab and Persian world, and features numerous illustrations of stars, strange animals and faraway lands.This blend of scientific explanations with poetry and stories provides a clear representation of the world as it was conceived of during the author’s lifetime – a view that was often shared by the Western world.

Here, images from the book are remounted on an album page that was probably made in the 19th century.

44

papi E r-M â CH é fa N

Fan India, kashmir papier-mâché

Circa 1875

Height: 126,5 cm (49 3/4 in)

Width: 30,5 cm (12 in)

Price: 3.500 £

Obje C t P R e S e N ted by:

Joost van den Bergh

M.: +44 (0)20 7839 8200

E.: joost@joostvandenbergh.com

T ribal ar T s OC i ETY

Check also the November catalogue of Tribal Art Society www.tribalartsociety.com

ME dia par TNE rs