Large Antique Indian Hindu Temple Nandi Bull Bronze Copper Alloy Statue

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...

A most impressive fine quality large antique patinated bronze South Asian Buddha head. Add a touch of relaxed warmth, elegant tranquility and harmony with this rare striking authentic life-size Buddha head. Almost certainly originating as a full-body Buddhist monastery temple statue, dating to the 19th century or earlier, likely Tibetan or Nepalese, finely detailed throughout with special attention to realistic proportions, facial features and serene expression, depicted with slightly angular closed eyes, thin arched eyebrows flanking wisdom eye, elongated pierced ears, and traditional curly snail hair with cranial protuber-ance (ushnisha) rising from the top of the head, indicating his vast wisdom. PROVENANCE / ACQUISITION: Acquired from the highly reputable auction house, J. Garrett Auctioneers, Dallas, Texas. Turtle Creek & Dallas Estates catalog. Garrett was pleased to present the contents of a fine Turtle Creek estate. Property seized from JMJ Development, the Dallas development firm controlled by Tim Barton and set to become the first Mandarin Oriental hotel in Dallas. DIMENSIONS: (approx) 14" Tall, 10" Wide, 8" Deep CONDITION REPORT: Beautifully aged warm rich dark patina. Strong, sturdy, stable, structurally sound. Wear consistent with age, use, handling and exposure, including scattered oxidation and buildup, small minor holes around the neck from where the neck would have attached to the body. --- We here at Lynx Hollow Antiques have a special fascination with religious antiques, and have an extensive collection, crossing all religions, regions and periods. From Thai Ayutthaya, Burmese, or other Southeast Asian Buddha and Buddhavista figures, ancient Chinese and Japanese carving, relics, important temple or church architectural salvage building elements, early Santos, icons, altar tables, tabernacle, to primitive folk art paintings...

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