Burmese Busts

Diminutive Chinese bronze metal Buddha sculpture depicted sitting. Beautifully crafted in the Ming style with intricate details. The bronze has a rich pat...

A large female bust in the 1980s Disco aesthetic vibe reminiscent of Studio 54 in satin white plaster with matching base. Signed to the back neck area Fischer manufactured by Austin ...

“Maquette” (after Pabloe Picasso) Very Old Maquette. Black enamel over different types of metal; steel, copper or brass. Unsigned.

Fern Fossil Specimen, Extinct Neuropteris species likely, 300 million years old. Discovered in PA. ***NOTE: Our 1stDibs store is closing in May and items will not be available therea...

Large antique Chinese carved wood sculpture of a Boddhisattva head circa 16-17th century from Ming Dynasty. Likely part of a full body life-size statue, the head was finely carved, p...

Sculpture out of marble by an unknown sculptor of the early 20th century, depicting a middle-aged woman. The upper body shows a partly rough surface, the head is slightly tilted.

A wonderfully sensual Khmer statue of a female divinity delicately carved from gray sandstone. Her face radiates a cool serenity. Almond shaped eyes ga...

While the birth of Christ is briefly told in the Gospel of Luke (2, 7) it is in the apocryphal texts that we find most of the elements and details that have then inspired artists. As of the 14th century and even more of the 15th century the subject of the Adoration of the Child replaces in Western art the scene of the Birth, much favoured in Byzantine art. Instead of being depicted lying with the new-born swathed in the manger, the Virgin is now kneeling, her hands joined in prayer in front of the naked child. This change was probably hastened by the popularity of the visions of Saint Bridget of Sweden to whom the Virgin allegedly appeared to show how she had given birth to Jesus (Visions, VII, chap. 21). Sheltered by a thatch-roofed structure the Virgin is kneeling in front of the Child Jesus. She wears a magnificent red dress under a large gold cloak. Her curled blond hair is partially veiled. The newborn is lying on a straw mat. Joseph is depicted with a parted beard and stands opposite from the Virgin. He wears a tunic and a coat with a purse hanging from the belt. His costume reminds us of the long journey him and Mary have accomplished to reach Bethlehem. Two other women are present. One is looking through the stable’s window to observe the Holy Family while another one kneels in prayer in front of the divine child. The rich costume of the lady might indicate she is a donator. However they could also both represent the women who took part in the birth of Christ, Zelemi and Salome. Salome, incredulous did not believe in the virginal conception of Mary and she is represented far from the scene. The artist has depicted her with an expression of doubt on her face. Zelemi, on the contrary, is a believer. She is rewarded by a place of honour at the heart of the scene, close to Mary. To the left the donkey and ox that have accompanied Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem observe quietly the scene. On the foreground two angels hold a scroll reading an excerpt from the Gloria : “/Gloria/ in excelsis /Deo/.” One of the angels wears a blue cape while the other’s is red Those two colours are very significant as during Middle-Ages blue symbolises hope and red charity. Together they express the hope in redemption thanks to the advent of Christ and his sacrifice to come. Above the main scene, up a cliff, a small shepherd lets his herd of sheep graze amidst the trees. He is framed by two walled cities. This wood carving is the work of a very skilled and inventive artist. The piece bears witness to his exceptional talent. The realism of the scene is emphasised by the amount of details depicted. The refinement of the carving itself is highlighted by the well preserved polychromy. This key moment of the New Testament is set in a contemporary context thanks to the clothes of the characters and the scenes of rural life. The universal dimension of the scene is intensified while allowing contemporary viewers to grasp its meaning more easily. This care for details, the picturesque realism as well as the extraordinary rendition of the cloths suggest it was made by a Flemish artist during the late 15th century. This relief can be compared with the panel of the Nativity from the Saint-Vaast altarpiece made by Jacques Daret between 1433 and 1435, today in Madrid’s Thyssen-Bronemisza Museum. Literature Louis Réau, Iconographie de l’Art chrétien...

A serene vintage Buddha head of gilt dry lacquer in the Shan Burmese style, but made in Thailand for the export market, circa 1960s, mounted on a b...

Pair of monumental Chinese polychrome glazed terracotta guardian lions each measuring 39 1/2 by 21 3/4 by 18 inches.

A large life-size statue of Buddha head carved from a single block of white alabaster marble and painted with gold and black pigments. The sculpture was of an iconic Burmese "Shan-st...

A large cast bronze sculpture of a Buddha's left hand. Indonesia, circa 1980. Dark brown patinated finish. The gesture is known as Dharmachakra Mudra, the traditional Buddhist gest...

A Thai bronze head of the Buddha. Sukothai period, late 16th-early 17th century. His face with serene expression, arched eyebrows above incised eyes a...

An unusual 18th century Burmese Arakan style red lacquered and richly gilt cast bronze figure of the Crowned Medicine Buddha, commonly referred to as Bhaishajyaguru. The Supreme Healer is portrayed seated in vajrasana (full lotus position) upon a throne of nine elephants, symbolizing the practice of samatha, or calming the mind (mindfulness) - specifically the nine stages of calm abiding. The hand in his lap holds a jar of healing salve. His other hand rests gently on his knee in varada mudra, the gesture of wish fulfilling, offering a myrobalan seed, a fruit said to be capable of healing emotional ills. The Healing Buddha...

Large beautiful figurative sculpture by Danish artist Jens Jacob Bregnø in jugend style. The sculpture is made of raw sandstone and is signed by the ...