Description
A BRONZE HEAD OF A YOGI, TIBET, 17TH-18TH CENTURY
Finely cast, embossed and engraved with an aquiline nose, almondshaped eyes and sharp brows, the ears with long pendulous lobes, the metal nicely patinaed to an unctuous chocolate-brown tone.
Provenance: Peter Sloane Early and Eastern Art, 26 June 2013. The late Richard Nathanson, acquired from the above. A copy of the invoice is accompanying this lot. Richard Nathanson began his career as a porter at Sotheby’s in 1966 and subsequently joined the Impressionist department. He left in 1970 to set up as an independent art advisor and had a particular involvement with Sisley, Modigliani, Rouault, Renoir and Bonnard. He produced BBC documentaries and publications on several of these artists.
Condition: Some losses, partially with old fillings, one larger hole to backside. Extensive wear and some dents here and there.
Weight: 504.6 g
Dimensions: Height 11 cm
This vigorous semi-wrathful human face conveys all the strength and determination of the yoga practitioners. It perfectly corresponds to the Tibetan expression zhi ma khro, meaning “partly peaceful and partly wrathful” often used to describe Padmasambhava’s expression. The intensive look of his elongated almond eyes reinforced by his frown is counter balanced by the gentle smile on his lips. The stretched earlobes could indicate either a yogi or a celestial being such as a daka, dakini or anthropomorphic deity. The gender of the character cannot be determined with certainty since he has his hair neatly coiffed and no apparent marks of facial hairs. The bronze embossing or repoussé technique, though not as widespread as the lost wax cast technique, is nevertheless well represented in Tibetan and Himalayan art.
青銅瑜伽師頭像,西藏,十七至十八世紀
鑄造精美,鼻子直挺,杏仁形眼圓睜,眉毛上揚,長耳垂。古銅色金屬。
來源:2013年6月26日Peter Sloane 《Early and Eastern Art》。Richard Nathanson 購於上述拍賣。附原始發票。Richard Nathanson於1966年在蘇富比做雜工,隨後加入印象派部門。 他於1970年離開公司成爲獨立藝術顧問,並特別與西斯利(Sisley),莫迪利亞尼(Modigliani),魯奧(Rouault),雷諾阿(Renoir)和波納爾(Bonnard)合作。 他為其中幾位藝術家製作了BBC紀錄片和出版物。
品相:一些缺損,局部舊時修補,背面有一個大洞。廣汎磨損和局部凹陷。
重量:504.6 克
尺寸:高11 厘米