Gesso Sculptures and Carvings

An attractive carved wood figure of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, known as Guanyin in China, late Ming Dynasty, early 17th century, China. Guanyi...

A monumental Hindu Nandi temple gate-guardian architectural ornament, born in India, dating to the 19th century, hand carved and painted, richly detailed, polychrome decorated, the wooden sculpture depicting Nandi, a sacred bull, gatekeeper, and vahana religious deity figure. Provenance: Acquired from The Neiman Marcus Corporate Art Collection. Details below. Dimensions: (approx) 49.5" x 43" x 12" An important religious folk art work, the Nandi is of carved wood and gessoed cloth, then hand-painted. In Hindu religion, Nandi is the mythical mount of Shiva. The four legs represent truth, righteousness, peace and love. More than a means of conveyance, Nandi is considered Shiva's constant companion on all his travels, so much so that in any temple dedicated to Shiva, there is a sculpture of Nandi. This symbol is a deity in its own right, and in India there are temples dedicated exclusively to Nandi. In Hindu symbolism, the bull represents both strength and ignorance. The white or light color of the bull symbolizes purity and justice. Symbolically, the seated Nandi towards sanctum in Shiva temples, represents an individual jiva (soul) and the message that the jiva should always be focused on the Parameshwara. From the yogic perspective, Nandi is the mind dedicated to Shiva, the absolute. In other words, to understand and absorb light, the experience, and the wisdom is Nandi, which is the guru within. The fact that Shiva uses it as a mount symbolizes how this divine figure removes ignorance while instilling strength and wisdom. A superb example, the life size work is in great overall shape, and presents wonderfully, having beautifully aged patina over the whole, highly desirable original, worn, rustic, naturally distressed, chippy paint, craquelure finish, that's delicate, and enhances the artistic antique character and rich historic depth. Detailed Condition Report: Fragile / delicate by design. Loss to one ear, age related checking and separation to carvings, fabric to hind quarters is released and tattered with minor loss, rubbing to paint throughout with wear indicative of age and use; later grey painted mounting blocks are attached to back and hooves. White glove in-home shipping/delivery available. Pickup available near Dallas, Texas Additional Provenance: Property from the Neiman Marcus Collection. Acquired from Heritage Auction, Design District Gallery, Dallas, Texas. From The Dallas Morning Newspaper; April 12th, 2021 Neiman Marcus is selling some of its history and valuables that have been displayed and stored for decades as part of the luxury retailer’s corporate art collection. The Neiman Marcus corporate art collection dates back to 1951, when Stanley Marcus (1905-2002), a life long avid art collector, purchased Mariposa, a large mobile by Alexander Calder and started a long tradition of buying original artwork for new stores as they opened. The Mariposa sold at a Sotheby’s auction last month fetching $18.2 million. The items are being offered through Sotheby's auction house, NYC, New York and Heritage Auction, Dallas, Texas. Many of the pieces were personally collected by Stanley Marcus from the 1960s through the 1980s. Some of the pieces are from corporate spaces, stores and the company’s archives, among the items are important antique textiles, tribal robes...

Rare and highly unusual antique Japanese statue of the esoteric deity 'Dakini Ten,' a Buddhist goddess who was associated with the agricultural...

This is a very large and very old Antique Buddha that is nearly life size and weighs 72 lbs. The carving is absolutely amazing and there are no missing or broken pieces, no loose pi...

19th Century country house dinner gong figure We are proud to offer an exceptional 55-inch-tall fine figural country house dinner gong figure in the form of an oriental man which is hand carved pine with gesso detail. All section carved body, shaped bamboo legs and midsection detail with glass eyes. With long ponytail real hair detail. Wearing its original 19th century Chinese court official's winter hat made of soft black velvet and is covered with red silk fringe and hand-crafted brass and wood knob. The green colour knob on the top of the hat indicates that this hat was a Qing official's hat, and the knob is an imperial court cap knob button antique...

A Japanese statue of a Shinto god from the Momoyama period. Hand carved from wood with a layer of gesso and hand painted flowing robes with delicately wroug...

Large wood, plaster and pigment iki ningyō with glass eyes, depicting a Kabuki theater actor (probably Matsumoto Kōshirō VII, 1870-1949) as Benkei in the kabuki opera "Kanjinchō." He...

Early 19th century Japanese wood noh mask, This mask comes in its original kiri wood storage box, which is signed and dated: Koran, 1811 (Edo period). The box...