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A MAJAPAHIT TERRACOTTA FIGURE OF A NOBLE MAIDEN, RAJAPUTRI
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 A NOBLE MAIDEN, RAJAPUTRI

Published: Editor Paolo Bertuzzi; Author Agus Aris Munandar: Majapahit: Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom, 2023, p. 46, fig. 15.

Indonesia, East Java, Trowulan area, Majapahit Empire (1297-1527). Finely modeled as a female figure standing in serene composure, the sculpture rests on a circular base adorned with stylized lotus petals—an auspicious motif symbolizing purity and transcendence. The figure is richly adorned with traditional Majapahit court jewelry, including a jamang (forehead band), hara (elaborate necklace), upavita (sacred thread) worn diagonally across the torso, kirat bahu (armlets), kangkana (bracelets), and both a kuchabhanda and katibandha (belts) encircling the waist and chest. Her paridhana (sarong) falls in vertical pleats to the tops of her feet, its surface finely detailed with incised floral and geometric motifs reflecting the textile patterns of the period.

Her right hand is raised in a gesture possibly indicative of vitarka mudra, a symbolic hand position associated with the transmission of knowledge. The figure’s upright posture, harmonious proportions, and dignified presence suggest she represents a putri (princess) or high-ranking noblewoman and may have originally functioned as a posthumous portrait or devotional effigy. Majapahit terracotta figures of this kind reflect the sophisticated artistry of the court and the syncretic blending of Hindu-Buddhist iconography with Javanese royal imagery.

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. The dark surface may result from burial in the mud of the Brantas River.

Dimensions: Height approx. 86 cm

Literature comparison:
Compare to a related stone figure of a Queen, Majapahit Empire, in the National Museum of Indonesia, published in the Rob Linrothe Image Collection, Northwestern University. Another related Javanese terracotta figure of a Queen, 14th-15th century, is in in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), accession no. 1993.239.13.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams San Francisco, 18 June 2007, lot 6166
Price: USD 7,200 or approx. EUR 9,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Javanese stone fragment of an ancestor figure, Majapahit Period, 14th /15th Century
Expert remark: Compare the related style and decoration.

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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拍品估价:3,000 - 6,000 欧元 起拍价格:3,000 欧元  买家佣金: 35.00%

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