| 中文版 English

具体要求

其它要求

-
关闭
A CARVED WOOD ‘CELESTIAL MUSICIANS’ TEMPLE CEILING PANEL, KERALA, CIRCA 18TH CENTURY
奥地利
09月11日 下午5点 开拍
拍品描述

Description

A CARVED WOOD ‘CELESTIAL MUSICIANS’ TEMPLE CEILING PANEL, KERALA, CIRCA 18TH CENTURY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve

South India. Of square form, carved in four pieces, separated by a wide diagonal which separates the panel in two, each resulting triangle richly carved in deep relief with the half-bird half-human kinnara and kinnari. The female musician with a veena in her hands, while her companion clasps a shehnai, pressing the reed between his lips. The figures are dressed in minutely carved garments with feather details and adorned with ornate jewelry.

Provenance: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012.
Condition: Good condition with wear and natural imperfections including age cracks and fissures. Scattered small losses around the edges, minor chips, expected signs of weathering, minor water damage to one edge, the wood with a rich, naturally grown, dark patina.

Dimensions: Size 87.5 x 87.5 cm

This fine panel, likely carved from Jackfruit Wood (Artocarpus heterophyllus) exemplifies the ornate ceiling tiles once embedded in the namaskara-mandapam, the ritual pavilion of Kerala temples, where coffered wooden ceilings serve as both structural marvels and sacred storytelling devices. Similar ceiling panels can be found in temples across Kerala, where each square frames deities, animals, and cosmic narratives in sculptural relief. These ceilings not only honor the divine but also reflect Kerala’s ingenious wooden architectural tradition, whose timber construction, perfectly adapted to the region’s monsoon climate, predates and profoundly influences the later evolution of stone temple forms.
Jackfruit wood was among the most favored for temple sculpture in Kerala during the 18th century, because it is fine-grained, easy to carve, and becomes darker and more beautiful with age. Also, it is naturally resistant to pests and rot.

Kinnara and Kinnari are half-human-half-bird mythical creatures and constitute the celestial choir and attendants to the gods. They are often portrayed in Hindu and Buddhist sculptures and paintings. Kinnaris and Kinnaras are portrayed happy, singing and playing musical instruments.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related wood ceiling element, dated 19th century, from a temple in Kochi, Kerala, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, accession number IS.2564:1-1883.

本场其它拍品

  • 竞价阶梯
  • 快递物流
  • 拍卖规则
  • 支付方式
竞价区间 加价幅度
0
10
50
50
600
100
1,600
200
4,000
500
8,000
1,000
16,000
2,000
40,000
5,000
80,000
10,000
160,000
20,000
+

价格信息

拍品估价:2,000 - 4,000 欧元 起拍价格:1,000 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
向卖家提问