Wonderful Khmer Sandstone Guardian Lion

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Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic

By Artemis Gallery

Feb 21, 2019

Set Reminder 2019-02-21 10:00:00 2019-02-21 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-3858
An important one-day auction featuring museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

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• Lot Description
  Southeast Asia, Cambodia, Khmer Empire (Angkor culture), ca. 1000 CE. A fierce, hand-carved grey sandstone head of a guardian lion - a figure whose form resembles a mythological creature more than a real animal. Bulging eyes, so round as to be almost spherical, project from the trapezoidal mane that frames the face. The eyes themselves are set within heavy lids that tilt upward at their outer corners, with a pronounced point between them. Below that is a powerful snout that calls to mind a crocodile with its broad, flat form. Twin nostrils rise up at the end, each with an exquisitely-carved spiral inside of them. The mouth is slightly open, full of identical, evenly spaced teeth with four sharp canines that fit neatly inside of each other. Deeply incised lines are around the edges of the mouth, giving an impression of thick lips. Ears are in relief against the mane, which is carved with an intricate motif that looks like tightly braided hair. The animal's wide neck, with a carved decoration that resembles a collar, is still present and visible. Size: 14.75" W x 12.5" H (37.5 cm x 31.8 cm); 20.25" H (51.4 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  The vast temples and palaces of the Khmer Empire were guarded by lion sculptures like this one - they flanked the entrances and lined the stairways and terraces. For example, Angkor Wat, one of the largest religious monuments in the world, has lions of this style guarding its gates. When originally constructed, it, and many other temples in the Khmer Empire, were dedicated to Hindu gods, transitioning to Buddhist worship towards the end of the 12th century. The religion came from India, where the Asiatic lion lives, but the sculptors of Cambodia would not have been familiar with the real animal unless they had traveled extensively. Instead, imagination took over for those artisans, who also had Javanese influence incorporated into their work. The end result was a series of stylized creatures like this one - lions in the sense that they protected sacred spaces and symbolized divinity and royalty, but with a particularly fanciful Khmer form.
  
  See a full statue at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia: https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/guardian-lion/FQHK1rjf8-AB6w
  
  Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-private American collection, acquired in the 1970s
  
  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.
  
  #143958

  Condition

  Head is from a larger sculpture, with repairs at the neck that are unobtrusive and difficult to see. Loss to crest on back of head as shown in the photographs. Sandstone has weathering commensurate with age but overall the carving is in excellent condition. Nice deposits on surface.
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