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Expert’s Note:
Bronzes of such breathtaking size are extremely rare. Dating large-scale bronze sculptures of this magnitude is inherently challenging due to the scarcity of securely dated comparanda. Very few monumental bronzes from Asia have survived intact; many were melted down, fragmented, or remain undocumented in temple or private collections. As a result, precise attribution is often impossible without inscriptions or archaeological provenance.
That said, the tradition of casting monumental bronzes in Asia began as early as the 8th century, particularly within Buddhist and Hindu religious contexts. These sculptures, typically made for temples or ceremonial use, reflect extraordinary technical sophistication and spiritual intent. The present lot can be easily distinguished from later or modern reproductions by its exceptional casting quality, the clearly natural and consistent patina, and above all, its profound dedication to simplicity. Stylistically, it shows a relative consistency that aligns with early traditions rather than eclectic later revivals. Most tellingly, the surface reveals none of the ornamental clutter often seen in 20th-century religious statuary. In comparison, one may consider a related group of large bronze figures with similarly aged patinas—such as a Srivijaya-style Avalokiteshvara currently housed at Wat Thai Samakkhi, a Thai temple constructed in 1939 in Mae Kasa. These examples, while impressive in scale, lack the serene restraint and sculptural clarity of the present lot.
From a technical standpoint, this bronze is most likely of a slightly earlier date than the large standing Buddha also offered in this sale. Its greater weight, minimal iron content (and hence almost no corrosion from rust), and heightened attention to finishing—particularly in the careful treatment of luting lines and other casting seams—support this assessment.
Ancient monumental bronze sculptures from Asia that compare in size and spiritual authority are extremely rare but do exist, including:
Shiva Nataraja
– Chola dynasty, South India, 11th–12th century
– Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
– Height c. 180 cm, weight c. 300 KG
Standing Buddhas, Bagan
– Pagan Kingdom, Burma (Myanmar), 11th–12th century
– At the cardinal points of the Swezigon Paya are four shrines, each of which houses a 4m-high bronze standing Buddha. Cast in 1102 AD, these figures are Bagan's largest surviving bronze Buddhas
Vishnu (fragment)
– Khmer Empire, Cambodia, 11th–12th century
– National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh
– The original size of this statue would have been between 5 and 6 meters.
Given this context, the present work stands among a very small number of bronzes that combine monumental scale, historical depth, and sculptural purity—characteristics that set it apart from modern and contemporary interpretations.
Southeast Asia, probably northern Thailand or Cambodia. Massively cast standing in samabhanga atop a double lotus pedestal raised on a circular plinth. The bodhisattva of compassion is dressed in a long flowing dhoti with subtly modeled folds at the hem and neatly incised belts and sashes, his graceful body richly adorned with elaborate beaded and foliate jewelry.
His face with a serene expression marked by heavy-lidded eyes with recessed and incised pupils, and slender lips forming a calm smile, flanked by elongated earlobes. The hair elegantly falling in long tresses over the shoulders and pulled up into a high chignon centered by an image of Buddha Amitabha, behind the ornate tiara.
Provenance: The Kienzle Family Collection, Stuttgart, Germany. Acquired between 1950 and 1985 by siblings Else (1912-2006), Reinhold (1917-2008), and Dr. Horst Kienzle (1924-2019), during their extensive travels in Asia. Subsequently inherited by Dr. Horst Kienzle and bequeathed to the Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Radevormwald, Germany. Released through museum deaccession in 2024. The Kienzle siblings were avid travelers and passionate collectors of Asian and Islamic art. During their travels, the Kienzle’s sought out and explored temples, monasteries, and markets, always trying to find the best pieces wherever they went, investing large sums of money and forging lasting relationships to ensure they could acquire them. Their fervor and success in this pursuit is not only demonstrated by their collection but further recorded in correspondences between Horst Kienzle and several noted dignitaries, businesses and individuals in Nepal and Ladakh. Their collection had gained renown by the 1970s, but the Kienzle’s stopped acquiring new pieces around 1985. Almost thirty years later, the collection was moved to the Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Radevormwald, opened by Peter Hardt in 2014. Before his death in 2019, Horst Kienzle bequeathed his entire property to Peter Hardt and legally adopted him as his son, who has been using the name Peter Kienzle-Hardt ever since.
Condition: Very good condition with expected wear, casting irregularities, multiple luting lines, traces of weathering, soil encrustations, few fatigue cracks, the bronze overall with naturally grown verdigris and patches of turquoise-colored encrustation.
German Export License: Ausfuhrgenehmigung Nr. 132/2024, dated 25 June 2025, has been granted. A copy accompanies this lot.
Weight: approx. 500 kg
Dimensions: Height approx. 345 cm
Literature comparison:
The present statue is cast in the style of the Srivijaya Kingdom, spanning from Indonesia over Malaysia to Southern Thailand in the late first millennium. See a Srivijaya copper alloy figure of Avalokiteshvara, 34 cm high, in the Musée Guimet, accession number MG3816 and exhibited by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lost Kingdoms: Hindu-Buddhist Sculpture of Early Southeast Asia, 5th to 8th Century, New York, 14 April-27 July 2014, cat. no. 161, as well as a four-armed bronze Avalokiteshvara in the Metropolitan, object number 1982.64, included in the same exhibition, cat. no. 158.
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