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A LARGE AND MASSIVE LACQUERED WOOD MAKARA TORANA ARCH, GUJARAT, 19TH CENTURY OR EARLIER
奥地利
09月10日 下午5点 开拍 / 09月08日 下午3点 截止委托
拍品描述

Description

A LARGE AND MASSIVE LACQUERED WOOD MAKARA TORANA ARCH, GUJARAT, 19TH CENTURY OR EARLIER
This lot is a museum deaccession and is therefore offered without reserve

Western India, 19th century or earlier. Of polylobed form, each foil elegantly shaped with petal-like contours and its apex crowned by stylized flowerheads. The body outlined by rope moldings enclosing deeply carved scrolling tendrils, foliate designs, dentil bands, and further flowerheads, composed of two separately carved sections, joined at the apex of the upper central point.

Provenance: Galerie Hardt (established in 1976), Radevormwald, Germany, before 2020. Acquired by the gallery’s founder Peter Hardt (b. 1946) during his extensive travels in Asia, the first of which occurred during a formative world tour in 1973. Throughout his storied career, Peter Kienzle-Hardt organized countless exhibitions and participated in major international art fairs. He made many important contacts during this time and eventually met the Kienzle siblings, who shared his passion for Asian art and culture. A strong bond and deep friendship developed, ultimately leading to the creation of the Museum für Asiatische Kunst decades later in 2014. While the museum’s permanent exhibition predominantly comprised pieces from the Kienzle Family Collection, Peter Kienzle-Hardt supplemented it with objects from his own collection. Before his death in 2019, Horst Kienzle bequeathed his entire property to Peter and legally adopted him as his son, who has been using the name Peter Kienzle-Hardt ever since.
Condition: Good condition overall with old wear, manufacturing irregularities, and signs of weathering and erosion, including some chips and losses to exposed areas, fissures and age cracks, flaking and extensive rubbing to lacquer.

Dimensions: Length 196.8 cm

Torana is a Sanskrit term traditionally used to denote either a free-standing ornamental gateway erected for ceremonial purposes, or a stylized decorative framework surrounding sacred sculptural or painted figures. The torana became a prominent architectural and iconographic element across Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions of the Indian subcontinent during the 10th and 11th centuries, with its influence extending as far as various parts of East and Southeast Asia.

In the regions of Gujarat and Central India, a particular variant known as the Makara Torana flourished in the 11th century. Named after the mythical sea creature Makara, the vahana (vehicle) of the sea god Varuna, this form features the Makara motif prominently at the base of the arch. These designs found remarkable expression in temple architecture, most notably at the Sun Temple in Modhera, from which the present lot clearly draws inspiration.

Gujarat’s wood architecture is a testament to the region’s rich artisanal heritage, particularly evident in the traditional havelis of Patan and Ahmedabad, where intricately carved columns, brackets, and balconies feature detailed geometric, floral, and textile-inspired motifs. These structures, dating as far back as the 16th century, highlight the enduring craftsmanship of the Hindu Suthar community, whose legacy of wood carving continues to shape the state’s cultural identity. While modern architecture in Gujarat has shifted away from wood, its historical significance endures—most strikingly in landmarks like the Swaminarayan Temple in Kalupur, Ahmedabad, where elaborately carved wooden elements reflect both religious devotion and artistic excellence.

Literature comparison:
Compare an earlier sandstone temple illika-torana (cusped arch) from Palitana, Gujarat, dated 11th-12th century, in the Victoria & Albert Museum, accession number IM.53 to 55-1916.

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价格信息

拍品估价:500 - 1,000 欧元 起拍价格:250 欧元  买家佣金: 35.00%

拍卖公司

Galerie Zacke
地址: Sterngasse 13, 1010 Vienna, Austria
电话: 0043-1-5320452
邮编: 1070
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