A BRONZE FIGURE OF GANESHA, ANGKOR PERIOD, KHMER EMPIRE, 11TH-12TH CENTURY OR EARLIER
Seated in dhyanasana on a double lotus base, clad in a short sampot elegantly tied with a butterfly tang to the back. The deity is richly adorned in floral jewelry, a headdress and conical crown, holding modaks in his two hands, Ganesha’s favorite dish, his face with a long trunk flanked by large ears. Superb naturally grown patina with smooth malachite and cuprite encrustations.


Provenance:
A noted private collection in Bavaria, Germany. A copy of a certificate dating the present lot as early as the 7th-8th century, signed by Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History, dated 11 May 2018, accompanies this lot. A collector’s label to the base, ‘Tp Ho Chi Minh, Bao Tang Lich Su 1979’.

Condition
: Good condition with minor ancient wear, casting irregularities, small losses, tiny nicks, and minor dents. Weathering and traces of erosion.

Weight: 190.1 g
Dimensions: Height 9.2 cm


The matching double lotus throne
is cast separately and neatly incised with numerous lotus petals in high relief. (2)


God of wisdom and remover of obstacles
both visible and invisible, the elephant-headed Ganesha is invoked at the commencement of any new undertaking or journey. As the deity's spirit was thought to reside within its likeness, this small bronze statue would thus constitute a perfect traveling companion, guiding its owner towards wise decisions and safe paths.


Literature comparison:

Compare a closely related figure of Ganesha, dated to the 12th-13th century, in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, accession number 99.216.11.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 25 March 2004, lot 167
Price: USD 8,963 or approx.
EUR 13,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare bronze figure of Ganesha, Khmer, Angkor period, Baphuon style, late 11th century
Expert remark: Note the identical size (9.2 cm).