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A MAJAPAHIT TERRACOTTA FIGURE OF HARITI, MEN BRAJUT
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
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Description

A MAJAPAHIT TERRACOTTA FIGURE OF HARITI, MEN BRAJUT

Published: Editor Paolo Bertuzzi; Author Agus Aris Munandar: Majapahit: Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom, 2023, p. 52-53, fig. 20.

Indonesia, East Java, Trowulan area, Majapahit Empire (1297-1527). Depicting the revered fertility goddess Hariti, here shown in her Javanese manifestation as Men Brajut, this terracotta figure stands upright on a circular pedestal bordered with a band of incised triangular motifs. With a calm, composed expression and finely incised hair, the goddess is rendered bare-chested, adorned with a large floral pendant necklace and kangkana (bracelets) on both wrists.

Hariti is shown holding two children at her hips, one in each hand, while a third clings affectionately to her back. Her head is surmounted by the remains of a shallow, concave vessel, possibly once functioning as an oil lamp, offering stand, or architectural element such as a column support.

Once a child-devouring demoness in the city of Rajagriha, Hariti was transformed by Buddha after he concealed her own beloved son, leading her to renounce violence and devote herself to the care of children. In Buddhist tradition, she is venerated as a deity of fertility, protection, and sustenance, and images of Hariti holding or surrounded by children are frequently placed in monasteries to invoke her blessings.

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. 108 cm

Literature comparison:
Compare a related Javanese terracotta figure of Hariti with children, in her guise as Men Brajut, 14th–15th century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Object Number: 2009.321.

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:4,000 - 8,000 欧元 起拍价格:4,000 欧元  买家佣金: 35.00%

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