Khmer Empire – Cambodia A copper alloy

Belle et expressive bronze statuette representing a masculine deity, attributed to the Khmer Empire, Angkor period, Bayon style, late 12th – early 13th century. The deity stands upright in a frontal and hieratic posture on a rectangular base integral with the casting. It wears a finely pleated short sampot, held by an ornate belt and forming at the back a prominent knot of fabric. The torso is adorned with jewelry, while the head is crowned by a high tiara surmounted by a tiered conical bun, characteristic of the Khmer stylistic vocabulary of the Bayon period. Both arms are bent forward. In the right hand to the observer remains a floral bud, very likely a lotus. The second attribute is too altered to allow certain identification. For this reason, and in the absence of another sufficiently discriminating iconographic attribute, the figure is deliberately described as a masculine deity, without attempting to assign it a specific identity by arbitrary attribution. The proximity to Bayon style rests notably on the combination of the short sampot with vertical folds, the treatment of the belt and the back knot, the high coiffure, the frontal stance of the figure, and its facial type. Related works are preserved notably at the British Museum, the Walters Art Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the National Palace Museum of Taipei. The bronze presents a beautiful ancient surface complex, combining green and blue-green patinas, brown tonalities, corrosion and inlays. Wear is naturally greater on projecting parts and attributes. Despite this aging-related alteration, the statuette retains remarkably its overall silhouette, hairstyle, costume, arms, legs, and base. Condition: good overall given its age. Old wear, general corrosion and inlays, small losses and attenuation of certain details, particularly on the attributes. No major modern restoration evident. Provenance: acquired in Asia in 1998, then kept in a private Belgian collection. A provenance statement accompanies the work. Dimensions: height 12 cm. Weight: 146 g. The work is accompanied by an authenticity and attribution certificate from MIMOSA, including stylistic, iconographic, technical, and comparative study. video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/lh4vxdtjft324vvvoo3lp/AMIb638lHlLy7vqWfhEC_lc?rlkey=ywo6ind0x4p51cgsxsgwwuwfl&dl=0

Estimation:€1,000

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