1st C. Indian Red Sandstone Crossbar w/ Elephant Motif

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Fine Antiquities/Ethnographic Art

By Artemis Gallery

Jul 19, 2018

Set Reminder 2018-07-19 10:00:00 2018-07-19 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Fine Antiquities/Ethnographic Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-antiquities-ethnographic-art-3329
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• Lot Description
  Central Asia, India, Uttar Pradesh, Mathura, Kushan Period, ca. late 1st to 2nd century CE. A hand-carved red and ochre sandstone cross bar with a rounded front face, planar sides, and acutely-angled top and bottom peripheries. The preeminent decorative element is a striding elephant carved in low relief central to a large roundel. The animal is defined by four powerful legs, a sinuous tail, and a large head with a thick trunk, broad ears, a petite eye, and a curved tusk. This carving would have served as an architrave spanning above the tops of two columns, possibly serving as part of a doorway within a shrine or monastery site. Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 14.875" W x 7.5" H (37.8 cm x 19 cm); 11" H (27.9 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  The depiction of the elephant is one of great significance steeped in Hindu mythology. All manner of animals were not merely creatures that roamed the earth without responsibility; when called upon, they were employed as "Vahanas," spiritual mounts or vehicles used to transport the many deities from realm to realm. For example, "the Brhatsamhita mentions such vahanas as a peacock for Kartikeya, a white four tusked elephant for Indra, a buffalo for Yama, a swan for Varuna, and so on." (Ganguli, Kalyan Kumar. "The Concept of Vahana in Indian Iconography." Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, vol. 28, 1966, p. 107., www.jstor.org/stable/44140400) The goddess Kali is said to have used a majestic black goat for her mount, and goats are still sacrificed in her honor in India to this day.
  
  For a stylistically-similar example depicting a winged lion, please see the Victoria and Albert Museum, number IM.1-1927: http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O84193/architectural-fragment-unknown/
  
  A pair of stylistically-similar examples depicting a lion and a sea monster hammered for $7,768 at Christie's, New York "Indian and Southeast Asian Art including 20th Century Indian" Auction (sale 1115, September 19, 2002, lot 35): https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a-rare-pair-of-red-sandstone-crossbars-3969913-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=3969913&sid=823558f8-104b-4be6-ad39-d38a275c8396
  
  Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
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  #136181

  Condition

  Surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age as expected, losses of varying sizes to all four corners, small chips and roughness along peripheries, roundel, and elephant, with some light encrustations, and fading to some finer carved details. Nice earthen deposits throughout. Verso is rough from carving. Old inventory label on verso.
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