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A UNIQUE MAJAPAHIT TERRACOTTA FIGURE OF A RAM, AJA
奥地利
12月16日 晚上6点 开拍 /5天4小时
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A UNIQUE MAJAPAHIT TERRACOTTA FIGURE OF A RAM, AJA

Published: Editor Paolo Bertuzzi; Author Agus Aris Munandar: Majapahit: Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom, 2023, p. 134-135, fig. 075.

Indonesia, East Java, Trowulan area, Majapahit Empire (1297-1527). This terracotta sculpture depicts Aja, the ram vahana of Agni, the Vedic god of fire. The animal is shown reclining on an elliptical base with minimal decoration. Its legs are tucked neatly under the body, the head turned slightly to the left, and the expression alert. The ram is distinguished by prominent spiral horns and a twisted rope-like necklace from which a bell is suspended. The modeling is detailed with neatly incised fur and beard.

In Hindu cosmology, Aja represents the southeastern direction and serves as a stand-in for Agni, who is seldom depicted in anthropomorphic form. As the deity of fire and ritual purity, Agni is central to brahmanic offerings and incense ceremonies. Figures of Aja, like this one, were likely installed in temples that practiced fire rituals and may also have been used in elite households to signal high ritual status and devotion.

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: Size approx. 60 x 42 cm

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:1,500 - 3,000 欧元 起拍价格:1,500 欧元  买家佣金: 30.00%

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