A RARE AND IMPORTANT TERRACOTTA HEAD OF BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNIAncient region of Gandhara, 4th century. The large head is superbly modeled with a serene and meditative expression, almond-shaped eyes beneath finely arched brows, distinct urna, aquiline nose, and full lips forming a gentle, benevolent smile. The hair is in tight curls with a dome-shaped ushnisha on top.Provenance: Arthur Huc (1854-1932). Marcel Huc, inherited from the above. Thence by descent within the same family. Arthur Huc was the chief editor of La Depêche du Midi, at the time the leading newspaper in Toulouse, France. He was also an accomplished art critic and early patron of several artists, including Henri de Toulouse- Lautrec. At the same time, Arthur Huc was a keen collector of Asian art, a passion that he inherited from his legendary ancestor Evariste Regis Huc, also known as the Abbe Huc (1813-1860), a French Catholic priest and traveler who became famous for his accounts of Qing-era China, Mongolia and especially the then-almost-unknown Tibet in his book “Remembrances of a Journey in Tartary, Tibet, and China”.Inventory List: In 1954, L. Magniette, bailiff of the court in Toulouse (Huissier), was ordered to compile a complete inventory of the collection inherited by Marcel Huc from his father, Arthur Huc, the so-called “Inventaire Huc”. The present lot is listed in this inventory as follows: “Serie de vingt deux têtes en terre-cuite. GANDHARA” (series of twenty-two terracotta heads. GANDHARA). A copy of the inventory list and cover page are accompanying this lot.Condition: Very good condition, especially when considering the dating of this piece. Some firing flaws, minor nicks and dents, material loss to exposed areas, all hardly noticeable due to a light-colored varnish coating which was applied a long time ago. Overall, fully consistent with the age of this sculpture.Scientific Analysis Report: A Thermoluminescence sample analysis has been conducted by Oxford Authentication, TL test no. N116n6, dated 18 October 2016, and is consistent with the suggested period of manufacture, a copy of the thermoluminescence analysis report accompanies this lot (the original is lost).Weight: 8.7 kg (total)Dimensions: Height 35 cm (the head) and 49.5 cm (incl. base)The kingdom of Gandhara lasted from 530 BC to 1021 AD, when its last king was murdered by his own troops. It stretched across parts of present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. Gandhara is noted for its distinctive style in Buddhist art, which developed out of a merger of Greek, Syrian, Persian and Indian artistic influence. Gandharan style flourished and achieved its peak during the Kushan period, from the 1st to the 5th century. In the first century AD, Gandhara was the birthplace of some of the earliest Buddhist images.The use of hard-fired ceramic instead of stone such as schist was popular during the later Gandharan period from the 4th to 6th centuries AD. Fired clay was expensive in the area, because the wood needed for the firing process was scarce. Therefore, such an expensive sculpture would have been a highly meritorious Buddhist offering. Only very few terracotta statues from this period and of this size have ever been recorded.The masterfully carved head of Buddha is a fine example of the rich cultural interplay and hybrid art styles of the Gandharan empire in the first centuries CE and embodies an idealized, transcendent male form of an earthly prince. Based on Greco-Roman prototypes, his elegant neck is slightly elongated, and his heavy eyelids frame a pair of almond-shaped eyes, his forehead remaining perfectly uncreased, and there is no tension in his rosebud mouth. While activated with energy, movement and life, the Buddha is simultaneously in a state of otherworldly tranquility.The sculptor has also skillfully referenced Buddha’s earlier history as Prince Siddhartha by carving openings in the elongated earlobes where, as a prince, he would have worn heavy jewelry. This detail reminds the viewer that, while the Prince’s past was centered on excess, the absence of material goods – jewelry and fine clothing – emphasizes the Buddha’s renunciation of worldly attachments.Compare the face of this Buddha with that of another in the Peshawar Museum (see H. Ingholt, Gandharan Art in Pakistan, 1957, p.113, fig.223). In both examples, the artist has skillfully carved and polished the face to transform it into human skin. While the face of the published image has been carved in a rather formulaic manner, the present work has been carved by a master of naturalism. The softly rounded cheeks give way to hollows on either side of the skin, the upper and lower lids are nearly spherical to emphasize the eyes, and the pupils are not carved. The quiet contours and gentle shadows model the flawless structure of the face, encapsulating the eternal youthfulness of the Buddha. Almost androgynous in appearance, the Buddha transcends gender, embodying the perfect balance of masculinity and femininity.This head has a high aesthetic value, illustrious provenance, and is in a beautifully preserved condition. It is an important and rare masterpiece of Gandharan art.Mounted on an associated wood base. (2)Auction result comparison: Compare with a related but smaller (28 cm) terracotta head of a Bodhisattva at Christie’s New York, Indian and Southeast Asian Art, 19 March 2013, lot 212, sold for USD 75,000, and a related but much smaller (20.3 cm) terracotta head of a Buddha at Sotheby’s New York, Images Of Enlightenment: Devotional Works Of Art And Paintings, 17 September 2014, lot 410, sold for USD 62,500.罕見重要陶土釋迦牟尼頭像健陀羅，四世紀。大型佛頭造型優美，沉靜冥思，眉毛下方拱形杏仁狀眼睛，眉間白毫，豐滿的鼻子，溫柔仁慈的笑容。 頭髮緊卷，呈螺髻。來源：Arthur Huc (1854-1932)收藏。Marcel Huc繼承，自此保存在同一家族至今。Arthur Huc是La Depêchedu Midi的主編，這是當時法國圖盧茲的主要報紙。他還是一位出色的藝術評論家，也是包括Henri de Toulouse- Lautrec在內的幾位藝術家的早期贊助人。 同時，Arthur Huc是一位熱衷於亞洲藝術的收藏家，他的熱情源於他的傳奇祖先Evariste Regis Huc，中文名為古伯察（1813-1860），是法國天主教神父和旅行作家，在他的《韃靼西藏旅行記》書中描述了他在清朝的遊歷以及對蒙古尤其是當時幾乎鮮為人知的西藏的敘述。收藏清單：1954年，圖盧茲法院法警 L. Magniette奉命對Marcel Huc從其父親Arthur Huc繼承的收藏品進行完整目錄彙編，即所謂的“ Inventaire Huc”。 此拍品也在當時列出的收藏清單中“ Serie de vingt deuxtêtesen terre-cuite。 GANDHARA”（二十二個陶土頭像系列，健陀羅）。隨附清單和封面副本。圖片：Arthur Huc (1854-1932)品相：狀況很好，尤其是考慮到這件作品的年代。一些燒製缺陷，輕微的刻痕和凹痕，裸露區域有材料缺損。表面的清漆應爲很久之前所塗，所以現在已經基本看不出來了。總體而言，狀況與該雕塑的年代相符。科學檢測報告：隨附一份牛津熱釋光檢測鑒定報告（原件遺失）。監測報告 no. N116n6，2016年10月18日，與目前斷代一致。重量：縂8.7 公斤尺寸：頭高35 厘米 ；縂49.5 厘米 這件頭像有很高的美學價值，出眾的外觀，並且保存完好，堪稱是健陀羅藝術裏的重要且罕見的傑作。底座。拍賣結果比較：一件相近但稍小 (28 厘米) 陶土菩薩頭像見紐約佳士得Indian and Southeast Asian Art拍場2013年3月19日 lot 212, 售價USD 75,000, ；一件相近但更小 (20.3 厘米) 的佛陀陶土頭像見紐約蘇富比Images Of Enlightenment: Devotional Works Of Art And Paintings拍場2014年9月17日 lot 410, 售價USD 62,500.
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A LIFE-SIZED TERRACOTTA HEAD OF VAJRAPANI IN THE FORM OF HERACLESAncient region of Gandhara, 4th-5th century. Powerfully modeled with a stern expression, framed by dense facial hair arranged into long voluminous curls, wavy hair, a billowing moustache and full beard. The furrowed brow, indication of age, and piercing gaze reflect an ancient yet astonishingly present taste for naturalism.Provenance: Arthur Huc (1854-1932). Marcel Huc, inherited from the above. Thence by descent within the same family. Arthur Huc was the chief editor of La Depêche du Midi, at the time the leading newspaper in Toulouse, France. He was also an accomplished art critic and early patron of several artists, including Henri de Toulouse- Lautrec. At the same time, Arthur Huc was a keen collector of Asian art, a passion that he inherited from his legendary ancestor Evariste Regis Huc, also known as the Abbe Huc (1813-1860), a French Catholic priest and traveler who became famous for his accounts of Qing-era China, Mongolia and especially the then-almost-unknown Tibet in his book “Remembrances of a Journey in Tartary, Tibet, and China”.Inventory List: In 1954, L. Magniette, bailiff of the court in Toulouse (Huissier), was ordered to compile a complete inventory of the collection inherited by Marcel Huc from his father, Arthur Huc, the so-called “Inventaire Huc”. The present lot is listed in this inventory as follows: “Serie de vingt deux têtes en terre-cuite. GANDHARA” (series of twenty-two terracotta heads. GANDHARA). A copy of the inventory list and cover page are accompanying this lot.Condition: Excellent, almost unique condition, fully consistent with the age of the sculpture, some firing flaws and material loss to exposed areas, hardly noticeable due to a light-colored varnish coating which was applied a long time ago.Scientific Analysis Report: A Thermoluminescence sample analysis has been conducted by Oxford Authentication, TL test no. N116n15, dated 18 October 2016, and is consistent with the suggested period of manufacture, a copy of the thermoluminescence analysis report accompanies this lot (the original is lost).Weight: 8.3 kg (total)Dimensions: Height 29.5 cm (the head) and 42.5 cm (incl. base)This large terracotta head is an extremely rare legacy of the ancient kingdom of Gandhara, encapsulating the rich cultural interplay and hybrid art styles derived from Hellenistic and Indian influences. It depicts the bodhisattva Vajrapani, the protector of Buddhism, represented with the iconography of the Greek god Hercules, who was widely venerated as a hero and savior in western Asia during the early centuries of the present era. As a great champion, yet one who nevertheless understood the human condition, Hercules was easily assimilated into Mahayana Buddhism. Like other Gandharan bodhisattvas, he is depicted as an earthly prince with his aristocratic bearing and posture. However, his heavily moustached face belongs to the Indian world, while the naturalistic face is reminiscent of Greco-Roman sculpture.The kingdom of Gandhara lasted from 530 BC to 1021 AD, when its last king was murdered by his own troops. It stretched across parts of present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. Gandhara is noted for its distinctive style in Buddhist art, which developed out of a merger of Greek, Syrian, Persian and Indian artistic influence. Gandharan style flourished and achieved its peak during the Kushan period, from the 1st to the 5th century. In the first century AD, Gandhara was the birthplace of some of the earliest Buddhist images.The use of hard-fired ceramic instead of stone such as schist was popular during the later Gandharan period from the 4th to the 6th centuries. Fired clay was expensive in the area, because the wood needed for the firing process was scarce. Therefore, such an expensive sculpture would have been a highly meritorious Buddhist offering. Only very few terracotta statues from this period and of this size have ever been recorded.Mounted on an associated base. (2)Literature Comparison: Compare with a terracotta head of Dionysos (The God of Wine and Divine Intoxication), 4th–5th century, strongly resembling the present lot, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (accession no. 1979.507.2).Auction result comparison: Compare with a closely related terracotta statue of Vajrapani in the form of Hercules at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in Curiosity V, 02 April 2019, lot 3105, bought in at an estimate of HKD 1,500,000-1,800,000. Also compare with a closely related head of Vajrapani in the form of Heracles, sold in these rooms on 25 April 2020, lot 427, for EUR 45,500.陶土執金剛神頭像呈赫拉克勒斯形象健陀羅，四至五世紀。表情嚴肅，濃密的鬍鬚，長捲髮。 眉頭緊皺，年齡的顯示和尖利的目光反映出古老而又令人驚訝的自然主義品味。來源：Arthur Huc (1854-1932)收藏。Marcel Huc繼承，自此保存在同一家族至今。Arthur Huc是La Depêchedu Midi的主編，這是當時法國圖盧茲的主要報紙。他還是一位出色的藝術評論家，也是包括Henri de Toulouse- Lautrec在內的幾位藝術家的早期贊助人。 同時，Arthur Huc是一位熱衷於亞洲藝術的收藏家，他的熱情源於他的傳奇祖先Evariste Regis Huc，中文名為古伯察（1813-1860），是法國天主教神父和旅行作家，在他的《韃靼西藏旅行記》書中描述了他在清朝的遊歷以及對蒙古尤其是當時幾乎鮮為人知的西藏的敘述。收藏清單：1954年，圖盧茲法院法警 L. Magniette奉命對Marcel Huc從其父親Arthur Huc繼承的收藏品進行完整目錄彙編，即所謂的“ Inventaire Huc”。 此拍品也在當時列出的收藏清單中“ Serie de vingt deuxtêtesen terre-cuite。 GANDHARA”（二十二個陶土頭像系列，健陀羅）。隨附清單和封面副本。圖片：Arthur Huc (1854-1932)品相：狀況極佳，非常獨特，與雕塑的年齡相符，存在一些燒製瑕疵，裸露區域材料缺失，多年前的淺色清漆塗層已經幾乎看不出。科學檢測報告：隨附一份牛津熱釋光檢測鑒定報告（原件遺失）。監測報告 no. N116n15，2016年10月18日，與目前斷代一致。重量：縂8.3 公斤尺寸：頭高29.5 厘米，總 42.5厘米底座。拍賣結果比較：一件相近頭像見香港蘇富比Curiosity V拍場2019年4月2日lot 3105, 估價HKD 1,500,000-1,800,000. ；另一件十分相似的頭像在此拍賣行2020年4月25日lot 427, 售價 EUR 45,500.
A PAIR OF CERAMIC ANCESTRAL MASKSSoutheast Asia, 19th century. The masks, probably depicting a man and a woman, low-fired and painted with red pigment on an ochre colored slip. Provenance: Ex-Collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum. Institutional art collection in Belgium, acquired from the above.Condition: Good condition with expected wear and minor firing cracks. Weight: 362 – 382 g Dimensions: Width c. 19 cm each
A 1920s Wedgwood cream glazed ceramic polar bear designed by John Skeaping, raised on a rectangular base, with marks to underside, 19 cm high x 28 cm wide Condition report: crazing throughout, no breaks or signs of restoration, very thin cracks to some of the creases, a small black mark that does not rub off, overall good
A Victorian Doulton Lambeth stoneware oil lamp wall fitting, in the Arts & Crafts style with brass arm designed with floral scrolls, the lamp with Hinks burner, the stoneware marked 1886 and E.D.L (Edith D Lupton), J.B (John Broad), with etched glass shade, 40 cm long (length of arm) Condition report: no breaks or cracks to the ceramic, the plaster that once held the ceramic part attached is falling apart, it has been electrically converted, some surface wear to the metal commensurate with age, the glass shade has chips around the rims but no cracks or breaks
A LARGE JAPANESE MEIJI PERIOD SATSUMA MORIAGE CERAMIC KORO & COVER, the body with twin moulded Shi - Shi handles, the lid with a Shi Shi, the body decorated with raised moriage style decoration depicting scenes of birds amongst elaborate sprays of native flora, highlighted with gilt, stood on three shishi dog mask feet, 48cm x 36cm.
An outside-decorated Chamberlain's Worcester platedated 1821painted with a central view of Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire by C. Hayton within a lemon and gilt scalloped border, titled, dated and signed in iron red to verso,21.7cm diameterFootnote: Chamberlain Factory record books note a supply of blank porcelain and ceramic colours to a Mr & Mrs C Hayton of Moreton, Hereford between May 1821 - March 1825. After painting, the Haytons then returned these wares to the factory for gilding, burnishing and firing. See Godden G A 'Chamberlain-Worcester Porcelain 1788-1852' 1982, p.201.Condition report: In good condition with no cracks, chips, damages or repairs. Gilding and decoration in good condition with no rubbing.
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