Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 6

Unknown
Indian Pink Sandstone Figure of a Deity, Central India, 11th/12th century
Circa 11th/12th century

Name: Indian Pink Sandstone Figure of a Deity, Central India, 11th/12th century
Brand: Unknown
Rating: 5 (28 reviews)

Price:$25,000

$48,750List Price

About the Item

Indian Pink Sandstone Torso of Brahma Central India, ca. 11th/12th century Pink Sandstone 22 inches, 25 inches on base The Hindu deity Brahma created all gods, demons, ancestors, and men. Brahma the Creator is also the source of all the knowledge that exists in this world. Early texts describe that there was nothing but an eternal ocean. From this, a cosmic golden egg called Hiranyagarbha was formed and from this, Brahma emerged. From his own person, he then created good & evil and light & dark. Brahma then made all living creatures upon the earth. In the process of creating, perhaps in a moment of distraction, the demons were born from Brahma's thigh and so he abandoned his own body which then became Night. After Brahma created good gods, he abandoned his body once again, which then became Day, hence demons gain the ascendancy at night and gods, the forces of goodness, rule the day. After creating ancestors and men, each time again he abandoned his body so that they became Dusk and Dawn respectively. This process of creation repeats itself in every eon. Brahma then appointed Shiva to rule over humanity although in later myths Brahma becomes a servant of Shiva. Brahma is among the strongest beings in the universe, Although not a chief deity, like Indra, Brahma is one of the pillar gods that hold the foundation of the Hindu pantheon and is widely revered. Due to his stoic and benevolent patience, he is more of a passive and pacifist deity, where the only thing that is important to him is his creation and the things that he will create. He possesses the extraordinary ability to bestow numerous blessings upon not only gods and humans but also the demon-like beings. He can create organic or inorganic matter from nothing, either as finished objects or simply unfinished elements. On the highest-level Brahma can create anything he can think of, whether conceptual or sentient. This includes the creation of energy, souls and life of any complexity, dimensions or realities, stars, etc. Being the supreme creator deity of the Hindu pantheon, Brahma can create, shape and manipulate creative energy, with the ability to create/materialize anything (objects, elements, lifeforms, etc.). Brahma’s ability to create something from nothingness is so great that he earned the respect of many gods, even from the gods of other foreign pantheons. As one of the Trimurti, Brahma has the power to manipulate time (chronokinesis). He, along with Shiva and Vishnu manipulate time, using the forces of creation, destruction, and preservation, where they will time the exact time of certain things or individuals’ creation, destruction, or protection all as part of maintaining and balancing the Cosmic Wheel of the Universe. Brahma, due to his elevated status as the primeval first god, is less involved in picturesque myths where gods take on human form and character but is rather a generally abstract or metaphysical ideal of a great god. In later Puranas (Hindu epics) Brahma is no longer worshipped and other gods are assigned his myths, even if he always maintains his status as the creator god. Nevertheless, he is still honored today with an annual ceremony at the pilgrimage site of Pushkar in Rajasthan, India and he remains a popular figure in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand and Bali. Brahma can create anything on a divine level, such as planets, solar systems, cosmos, universes, and/or even life-containing planets. He can create organic or inorganic matter from nothing, either as finished objects or simply unfinished elements. On the highest-level Brahma can create anything he can think of, whether conceptual or sentient. This includes the creation of energy, souls and life of any complexity, dimensions or realities, stars, etc. He is embodiment of creation, and his power comes from creation itself.

Creation Year:
Circa 11th/12th century
Dimensions:
Height: 22 in (55.88 cm)Width: 10.5 in (26.67 cm)Depth: 6 in (15.24 cm)
Medium:
Sandstone
Period:
15th Century and Earlier
Condition:
Though this piece clearly suffered damage from ancient marauders, the piece is very fine and presents wonderfully. The swollen belly exudes prana, or the breath of life.
Gallery Location:
SANTA FE, NM
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU140826798702

Standing angel with banner Flemish Around 1450/60 Sandstone 60 x 21 x 15 cm This museum figurine shows a standing angel with a banner in his right hand and a small box in his left. The youthful, ageless figure wears a coat held together with a triangular, floral brooch in front of the chest over a long robe. The angel’s gaze is directed forward, his head tilted slightly to the left. The elongated face is sculpted: the large almond-shaped eyes with accentuated upper and lower eyelids are alertly open and sharp eyebrows lead directly into the root of the nose. The straight nose above the pronounced mouth completes the idealized oval face of the angel and his calm, internalized facial expression. What is particularly remarkable, however, is the magnificent curls, which are only partially tamed by a simple headband. As if puffed up by the wind, the hair, which is sometimes streaked in parallel, sometimes wildly twisted and richly curled, stands out dynamically from the ears. The tilted head with these sideways protruding waves of hair thus conveys an immediate impression of movement. The physicality of the sculpture is expressed particularly through this organic, lifelike movement of the loosened hair. The lively overall impression of the figure is further enhanced by the multiple rolled banners that the angel presents to the viewer. The outstretched palm of the right hand appears both intimate and confidential as well as mystically revealing. This banderole winds in gentle curves in front of the figure’s body, throws a fold over the second attribute in the angel’s left hand and falls downwards in a loose manner. The volute-shaped rolled up end of the banner clearly shows the fine texture of the banner and at the same time draws the viewer’s attention to the small cube-shaped box that the angel is holding in its slender, long-limbed fingers. The cube is decorated with a Gothic quatrefoil motif, which is often seen in the architectural tracery of windows, but was also often used to decorate caskets and other small treasures. The sweeping gestures in the presentation of the attributes suggest three-dimensionality, in contrast to the tubular folds at the base of the neck and the intricate draperies in flat and multiple overlapping garment sections. The soft curves of the folds give the impression that the clothing is made of a heavy fabric that falls diagonally down the front and is laid in several bowl folds under the right hand. Overall, the sculptural work testifies to the highest artistic skill, which emphasizes the virtuosity of sculpture in its precious and representative overall impression. The memorable characteristics recognizable here can be seen in comparable pictorial works from Utrecht around the middle of the 15th century, when sculptural art – especially stone sculpture – was characterized by a remarkably high quality. Particularly noteworthy is the accentuated Utrecht head type with an elongated oval face, almond-shaped eyes with heavy lids and dense, vividly protruding tufts of hair framing the head. For example, the figure is comparable to a capital of an angel on the east side of the rood screen of the Joriskerk in Amersfoort (province of Utrecht) from the second quarter of the 15th century. Not only the physiognomy and hair, which in the comparative example stand somewhat more horizontally to one side, but also the garment puff above the girdle are similar. Even more related motifs, such as the cleverly placed bowl folds, can be found on the limestone figure...

Category

15th Century and Earlier Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Sandstone

Standing Engel, 1450/60

$28,800

Free Shipping

H 23.63 in W 8.27 in

Large romanesque sculpture depicting Saint Lucy. Northern Spain.

Located in PARIS, FR

Large romanesque statue of Saint Lucy of Syracuse is dated from the 12th century. The saint is represented veiled and diademed, she wears a long dress, with an important tie. Stone s...

Category

15th Century and Earlier Medieval Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Sandstone

Large romanesque sculpture depicting Saint Lucy. Northern Spain., circa 1150

$18,050

$3,400

H 23 in W 10 in D 10 in

More From This Seller

View All

Large 17th century, Sandstone Buddha Head from Thailand, Ayutthaya Kingdom

Located in SANTA FE, NM

Large Sandstone Head of Shakyamuni Buddha Thailand (formerly Siam), Ayutthaya Kingdom 17th century 16 1/2 inches on stand, 11 1/3 without Private collection, France. The face is ...

Category

17th Century Other Art Style Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Sandstone

Large 17th century, Sandstone Buddha Head from Thailand, Ayutthaya Kingdom, 17th century

$10,000

Antique Pair of Russian Wolf Hound/Borzoi Dog Portrait Sculptures circa 1930's

Located in SANTA FE, NM

Antique Pair of Russian Wolfhounds/Borzois Dog Portrait Sculptures by Scalini (aka Scali; Italian, 20th century) circa 1930's Patinated spelter 9 x 14 inches (on bases) Though rath...

Category

1920s Art Deco Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Cast Stone, Bronze

Antique Pair of Russian Wolf Hound/Borzoi Dog Portrait Sculptures circa 1930's, circa 1920's

$2,310 Sale Price

40% Off

Antique 19th century Bronze Dog Portrait of a Löwchen on a Marble Base

Located in SANTA FE, NM

Antique Bronze Dog Portrait of a Löwchen on a Marble Base French 19th century 1/2 x 8 x 5 1/2 inches The chiseled bronze has a nuanced, rich brown patina depicting a Löwchen in the round, seated on a quadrangular marble base decorated with very fine gilt bronze flowers and fluted feet. Napoleon III, Louis XVI style. Based on a model by Jacques Caffieri for the Prince de Condé in 1773. (More images to be added.)F Executed during the nineteenth century, this figure is fully in line with the eclectic taste of the reign of Napoleon III. Indeed, the Empress Eugenie brought the Louis XVI style up to date in her castle of Compiègne. Jacques Caffieri is one of the most famous bronze smiths of the eighteenth century. In 1715 he was admitted as a master caster and chiseler, and worked almost exclusively for the crown castles...

Category