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A MAJAPAHIT TERRACOTTA FIGURE OF AN AVATARIC DEITY
奥地利
09月12日 下午5点 开拍 / 09月10日 下午3点 截止委托
拍品描述

Description

A MAJAPAHIT TERRACOTTA FIGURE OF AN AVATARIC DEITY

Published: Editor Paolo Bertuzzi; Author Agus Aris Munandar: Majapahit: Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom, 2023, p. 96-97, fig. 050.

Indonesia, East Java, Trowulan area, Majapahit Empire (1297-1527). This terracotta figure is seated atop a tall plinth decorated with floral scrolls and triangular motifs. One leg is bent and rests on the base while the other hangs freely, forming a relaxed pose known as lalitasana, the posture of royal ease. The right hand holds a rolled palm-leaf manuscript. The figure wears a simple loincloth, leaving the torso bare and is adorned with a waistband, bracelets, and jeweled anklets. The facial features are powerfully rendered, with a broad snout, flared nostrils, bared teeth and fangs, and a wild mane framing the face. The expression is fierce, with upright ears flanking the head and lending the figure a commanding presence.

While identified in Majapahit: Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom as Hanuman, based on the manuscript in the right hand and possible narrative context, the pronounced leonine features suggest an alternative reading. The facial structure, posture, and visual emphasis on strength and wildness may point instead to Narasimha, the man-lion incarnation of Vishnu.

Provenance: Acquired in the Trowulan area at the end of the 20th century by Paolo Bertuzzi, thence by descent. Paolo Bertuzzi (1943–2022), was a fashion stylist from Bologna, Italy. He was the son of Enrichetta Bertuzzi, founder of Hettabretz, a noted Italian fashion company with customers such as the Rothschild family, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Paolo Bertuzzi later took over his mother’s business and designed exclusive pieces, some of which were exhibited in the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, USA. He was also an avid collector of antiques for more than 60 years. His collection includes both archaic and contemporary art. He also edited two important books on Asian art: Goa Made – An Archaeological Discovery and Majapahit – Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom, both documenting major excavation projects carried out in collaboration with the respective national governments of Indonesia and Italy.
Condition: Presenting well and in stable, restored condition. Exhibiting areas of loss and cracking, with associated surface wear, soil encrustations, and weathering, all consistent with age and material.

Dimensions: Height approx. 62 cm

Literature comparison:
Compare a related andesite figure of Hanuman, dating to the Majapahit empire, in Marcel Nies Oriental Art, published in M.J. Klokke, Hanuman in the Art of East Java, in R.P. Soejono’s Festschrift, Leiden University, 2006, pp.391-405, pl.5 & 6.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 September 2000, lot 188
Price: USD 8,225 or approx. EUR 13,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: a terracotta head of hanuman, Indonesia, East Java, circa 14th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, note that the lot only comprises the head.

The Majapahit Empire, which flourished in East Java, Indonesia, from the late 13th to the early 16th century, was one of Southeast Asia’s most influential Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, renowned for its cultural sophistication and far-reaching political power. Under the reign of King Hayam Wuruk (1350–1389), Majapahit’s capital, Trowulan, emerged as a vibrant center of religious devotion and artistic production. Among the most distinctive legacies of the Majapahit period is its prolific use of terracotta, employed for both utilitarian and symbolic purposes.

Terracotta artifacts from the Majapahit Empire include figurines, architectural elements such as roof tiles, bricks, and columns, as well as everyday objects like water jars, stoves, vases, and piggy banks. These works provide invaluable insight into the daily life, attire, belief systems, and social structures of the time. Majapahit terracotta figures depict a wide range of subjects, from deities, dancers, and mythical beasts to animals and common people, reflecting both the religious and secular dimensions of the empire’s artistic output.

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价格信息

拍品估价:3,400 - 7,000 欧元 起拍价格:3,400 欧元  买家佣金: 35.00%

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