Fine Khmer Sandstone Sculpture of Goddess Uma

About Auction

Live

Exceptional Ancient, Ethnographic, & Fine Art...

By Artemis Gallery

Mar 9, 2023

Set Reminder 2023-03-09 10:00:00 2023-03-09 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Ancient, Ethnographic, & Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-ancient-ethnographic-fine-art-12354
Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

View Full Catalog (413)

• Lot Description
  **First Time At Auction**
  
  Southeast Asia, Cambodia, Khmer Empire (Angkor culture), ca. 12th century CE. A skillfully carved, monumental stone statue of the goddess Uma, depicted in the round and facing forward. She wears a sampot, the 1500 year-old traditional dress of Cambodia, around her lower body; it is finely rendered to suggest folds of drapery and tasteful decoration. Her torso is nude, presenting voluptuous breasts, and she is crowned in a conical mukuta headdress. Uma is one of the names of Parvati, Hindu goddess of love and fertility, the supreme mother goddess. Her statues and iconography grace Hindu temples throughout Southeast Asia, reflecting the strength of her worship. Size: 7" W x 28.5" H (17.8 cm x 72.4 cm)
  
  Khmer art moved away from Indian styles in the 7th century CE to encompass its own framework; one example of this seen here is that this statue is carved in the round, rather than as a relief on a stela, which was common with Indian and Javanese Hindu and Buddhist sculptures that were previously influencing Cambodian art. While this artwork was religious - priests supervised its execution - its realism is unmistakable, and some scholars believe that gods and goddesses were portrayed with the features of individual members of the royal court. This sculpture and others like it would have both emphasized the power of the monarchy and given high ranking people joy - after all, who wouldn't want to see themselves sculpted by the finest artisans in stone, compared to a god or goddess?
  
  Please note this is from the Joseph Rondina (1927 -2022) collection, a prominent American collector of European 18th century and Asian furniture and object d'art. In 1957 he established the Joseph F. Rondina Antiques Ltd., in New York City and garnered an international clientele base that included celebrities and other notable public figures. Rondina's eye for interior design was also widely celebrated, and he was invited as a guest decorator for a room at the flagship Tiffany & Co. store. He is also noted for his donation of artifacts in the permanent collection at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse New York.
  
  Please note that this piece is a dropship item, meaning that it will be shipping from the consignor’s location. All information regarding condition, size, stone identification, and metal content have been provided by the consignor.
  
  PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
  
  Provenance: Private West Hollywood, California, USA collection; ex-Joseph Rondina collection, New York, New York, USA, acquired in the second half of the 20th century
  
  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.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #177337

  Condition

  Fragmented as shown, with both arms missing just beneath the shoulders, the right leg missing with the left remaining just above the ankle. There's a shallow area of damage to verso and chips throughout, Visible abrasions to the right breast. Overall, in good condition.
• Shipping Info

  • All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.

• Buyer's Premium
  • 26.50 %