28 juin 2009
India. A sandstone head of a Jina. 12th Century and sandstone bust of Vishnu. Uttar Pradesh, 10th Century
An Indian sandstone head of a Jina. 12th Century
The well carved face with thin almond shaped eyes under well defined raised eyebrows, with full lips curled in a faint smile, surmounted by tiers of tight curled hair; mounted on a contemporary black base. 11in (28cm) high. Estimate: $6,000 - 8,000
A Central Indian sandstone bust of Vishnu. Uttar Pradesh, 10th Century
The bust carved with nude upper body, wearing a necklace and snake-form arm bracelet on right arm, his elongated earlobes with large ear ornaments, his face with almond-shaped eyes and slightly smiling lips, his head surmounted by a tall conical crown topped with a lotus, backed by a partial lotus petal mandorla; now mounted on a contemporary metal stand. 14 3/4in (37.5cm high. Estimate: $5,000 - 7,000
Provenance: Alsdorf Collection
Sotheby's, New York, December 5th, 1992, lot 87
New York Private Collection
Bonhams. Fine Asian Works of Art, 29 Jun 2009. 220 San Bruno Avenue, San Francisco www.bonhams.com
An underglaze iron-decorated globular jar and a white glazed porcelain jar. Joseon Dynasty, 19th Century
An underglaze iron-decorated globular jar. Joseon Dynasty, 19th Cenury
Its wide rim finished with a concave edge on the interior and exterior surfaces and its globular body painted in bold outlines of iron oxide with a scaly dragon chasing a flaming pearl, the celadon-tinged glaze covering all surfaces except the foot pad. 13 1/4in (33.5cm) diameter. Estimate: $6,000 - 8,000
A white glazed porcelain jar. Joseon Dynasty, 19th Century
Thickly potted with a flared rim and ovoid body raised upon a tall foot, the celadon-tinged glaze covering all surfaces except the foot pad with some gaps in the glaze layer. 14 3/4in (37.5cm) high. Estimate: $5,000 - 7,000
Bonhams. Fine Asian Works of Art, 29 Jun 2009. 220 San Bruno Avenue, San Francisco www.bonhams.com
A buncheong-decorated celadon maebyong. Joseon Dynasty, 15th Century
A buncheong-decorated celadon maebyong. Joseon Dynasty, 15th Century
Of inverted pear form with a short, spreading neck and spreading foot, inlaid in white and black slip with horizontal bands of overlapping lotus petals, leaf scrolls, flower petals accented with stamens and descending leaf bands, all visible beneath a pale olive green glaze, the wide foot pad and recessed base left unglazed. 9 1/2in (24cm) high. Estimate: $3,000 - 5,000
Bonhams. Fine Asian Works of Art, 29 Jun 2009. 220 San Bruno Avenue, San Francisco www.bonhams.com
Six blue and white porcelains of Joseon Dynasty, 19th Century @ Bonhams
A good blue and white porcelain bottle vase with dragon decoration. Joseon Dynasty, 19th Century
Potted with a rolled rim to the wide neck and body of compressed pear shape painted in variegated shades of cobalt wash and outline with a four-clawed dragon pursuing a flaming pearl amid clouds, the exterior foot painted with a thin blue stripe and a celadon-tinged glaze applied everywhere except the foot pad. 12 1/4in (31cm) high. Estimate: $15,000 - 25,000
A fine and rare blue and white porcelain bottle vase with flowering branch decoration. Joseon Dynasty, 19th Century
Potted with a rolled rim to the tall neck that spreads outward to the compressed globular body raised on short foot, the richly hued cobalt outlines and washes defining leafy branches of flowering magnolia reversing chrysanthemum and a thin cobalt line accenting the foot, the celadon-tinged glaze covering all surfaces except the foot pad. 12 1/4in (31cm) high. Estimate: $15,000 - 25,000
A large blue and white porcelain dragon jar. Joseon Dynasty, 19th Century
Thickly potted with a body of inverted pear form finished with a canted edge around the base, painted in cobalt outline and wash with clouds around its cylindrical neck and a lappet band at the shoulder above a boldly painted dragon chasing a flaming pearl amid further clouds, the celadon-tinged glaze covering all surfaces except the foot pad. 19 1/4 (49cm) high. Estimate: $7,000 - 9,000
Two blue and white porcelain dragon jars. Joseon Dynasty, 19th Century
Each similarly potted with a tall neck and the body of inverted pear form finished with a canted edge around the foot, the surfaces painted alike with a four-claw dragon chasing a flaming pearl amid cloud scrolls that repeat around the the neck above a lappet band encircling the shoulder, the celadon-tinged glaze unevenly covering most surfaces. 13 3/4 and 12 3/4in (35 and 32.5cm) high. Estimate: $3,000 - 5,000
A blue and white porcelain storage jar. Joseon Dynasty, 19th Century
Its ovoid body boldly painted with a wide stripe of bright blue cobalt above the slightly concave band where the two sections of the jar were luted together while thin lines of cobalt accent its shoulder and lower body, the celadon-tinged glaze covering all surfaces except the foot and recessed base. 13 1/2in (34.5cm) high. Estimate: $3,000 - 5,000
Bonhams. Fine Asian Works of Art, 29 Jun 2009. 220 San Bruno Avenue, San Francisco www.bonhams.com
Asian Art Galleries at the Birmingham Museum of Art Reopen
The redesign highlights the strengths of the collection and allows for the display of more objects
BIRMINGHAM, AL.- The Birmingham Museum of Art will reopen its Chinese and Japanese galleries on June 28, 2009 following extensive remodeling. The galleries were closed to accommodate the 2007 blockbuster exhibition, Pompeii: Tales from an Eruption. The redesign highlights the strengths of the collection and allows for the display of more objects.
"Many of the objects on view either have not been seen for many years or have never been seen by the public. The redesign gives us the chance to show the remarkable breadth and depth of our collections," says Don Wood, PhD, senior curator and The Virginia and William M. Spencer III Curator of Asian Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art. "Although no new footage was added to the galleries, a creative use of existing space enables us to show far more of the permanent collection than before."
Incense Burner, About 1750, China, Qing Dynasty (1644-1911); Qianlong period (1736-1795). Jade. Lent by the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History; Collection of Mrs. Georg Vetlesen. 80.2006a-b. Birmingham Museum of Art
The Chinese galleries have been transformed by the display of materials that span the thousands of years of Chinese history: rare funerary goods, Imperial jades, full sets of tomb figures from the 8th and 15th centuries, and an entire wall of blue and white porcelain, with nearly 100 examples from all periods.
"A 15th-century Buddhist temple mural─centerpiece of the Chinese gallery─has been painstakingly cleaned and soon a conservator will work on-site to open a 'window' of cleaning on the reverse side of the mural," says Wood. "Damaged by fire long ago, the back of the mural presents opportunities for discoveries that have been covered for centuries under dust and smoke."
At one end of the Chinese gallery is the jade collection of Mrs. Georg Vetlesen. Formed in the early part of the 20th century, this collection is now on long-term loan from the Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution. The collection is famous for its Imperial Chinese jades from the 16th through the 19th centuries. This is the first time it has been on view in over 25 years.
On display with the Vetlesen collection is a 250-pound jade boulder from the Kunlun Mountains in northwest China. From ancient times, this stone is considered to have protective qualities.
"One of the great joys of jade is how it feels," says Wood. "The Museum acquired this boulder so our visitors could touch and feel for themselves jade's cool, almost sensuous surface."
At the other end of the gallery are nearly 100 examples of Chinese blue and white porcelain. Ranging in age from the 14th through the 19th centuries, these porcelains show the entire range and development of Chinese blue and white.
Jizo Bosatsu, Japan (Heian period, 794-1185), 12th century. Wood. Museum purchase with endowed funds for acquisitions and funds from the Estate of Carolyn Quinn. 2005.16a&b. Birmingham Museum of Art
Japan
The Museum's popular Samurai display will return as a focal point in the Japanese galleries. Consisting of superb sets of full armor and many important helmets, blades, guns, and other objects, this is the only display of its kind in the Southeast.
A variety of new hanging scrolls and folding screens will be rotated in the refurbished painting and sculpture gallery, as will the Museum's growing collection of Japanese Buddhist sculpture. A rare 12th-century image of Jizo Bosatsu, one of Japan's favorite Buddhist deities of mercy, will be featured. Dressed plainly as a Buddhist monk, this deity helps travelers in distress, small children in trouble, and women in labor.
Many other visitor favorites will be back, as will many rarely shown pieces and new acquisitions to the collection.
Featured for the first time from the Museum's permanent collection are outstanding Japanese decorative arts of the Meiji period (1868-1912). After 250 years of self-imposed isolation, Japan opened to the West in the mid-19th century, creating an artistic craze for anything Japanese. Artists such as Monet, Tiffany, Whistler, and others were influence by the astounding creativity of Japanese art.
"The Japanese long have played an important role in our own culture and their profound effect on the decorative arts can be seen in other areas of our own collection," says Gail Andrews, R. Hugh Daniel Director of the Birmingham Museum of Art. "For instance, Japanese metalwork shown at the Philadelphia Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 influenced manufacturers such as Tiffany & Company to produce silver in the japonais style. American crazy quilts also were inspired by the Japanese presence at the 1876 Exhibition. There are beautiful examples of each in the Museum's collection of American art."
New installations also are planned for the Indian sculpture gallery and the Southeast Asian ceramic gallery, including the finest collection of Vietnamese ceramics in the U.S. Visitors may follow the reinstallation progress and watch for special openings, speakers, and other engaging activities and learning opportunities at www.artsbma.org.
Jar, About 1700, Korea, Josean period (1392-1916), Porcelain. Museum purchase with funds from the Estate of Carolyn Quinn
2002.4. Birmingham Museum of Art
History of the Asian Art Collection
The Asian collection at the Birmingham Museum of Art began not with the gift of a single major collection, but rather with the gifts of objects from a wide variety of individuals. Often the one or two pieces given were the only Asian art owned by the donors.
In 1972, Dr. Sherman E. Lee, then Director of the Cleveland Museum of Art, came to the Birmingham Museum of Art to evaluate its Asian art and advise how to form a stellar collection. He encouraged the formation of a support group to help with acquisitions and educational activities. This led to the founding of the Birmingham Asian Art Society in 1975 by M. Bruce Sullivan, MD, L. Paul Kassouf, Wyatt Haskell, Elton B. Stephens, and the William M. Spencer family. So began the remarkable growth of the Asian art collection.
Over the years, individual gifts from the Birmingham Asian Art Society, area residents, and collectors, along with gifts of collections and works from all over the U.S., Europe, and Asia have grown the collection to more than 4,000 objects. A sense of individual identity and community pride has resulted in one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of Asian art in the United States.
"Together with our Korean, Indian, and southeast Asian collections, these new galleries and the holdings of our Museum library offer considerable resources for scholars of Asian art, history, and culture," says Wood.
Senior Curator Donald A. Wood, PhD, has served at the Birmingham Museum of Art since 1987. He was appointed as The Virginia and William M. Spencer III Curator of Asian Art in 2000, and served as Chief Curator from to 1996 to 2008. Wood organized the acclaimed exhibition The First Emperor: Treasures from Ancient China (1996) that traveled to the Walters Art Museum, Amongst the Clouds: Textiles of the Miao People of Southwest China (2006), and Kamisaka Sekka: Rimpa Master─Pioneer of Modern Design (2003), and numerous other exhibitions. Wood has been traveling to Asia for the past 35 years and his expertise in Asian art puts him in high demand as a consultant and guest speaker.
The redesign highlights the strengths of the collection and allows for the display of more objects
23 juin 2009
'Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul' @ The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Goblet depicting figures harvesting dates (Begram, Room 10), 1–200 CE, glass and paint, National Museum of Afghanistan. ©Thierry Ollivier / Musée Guimet
NEW YORK, NY.- Ancient Afghanistan—located at the crossroads of major trade routes, where it attracted invading armies and nomadic migrations—was home to some of the most complex, rich, and original civilizations on the continent of Asia. Opening at The Metropolitan Museum of Art this summer, the traveling exhibition Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul, celebrates the country's unique role, as both the recipient of diverse cultural elements and the creator of distinctive styles of art from the Bronze Age into the Kushan period. The presentation also commemorates the heroic rescue of Afghanistan's national treasures long thought to have been destroyed. The exhibition features a rich selection of artworks from four archaeological sites. All works belong to the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul. Highlights include gold vessels from the Bronze Age Tepe Fullol hoard; superb works and architectural elements from the Hellenistic city of Aï Khanum; sculptural masterpieces in ivory, plaster medallions, bronzes, and Roman glass from Begram; and extraordinary turquoise-encrusted gold jewelry and ornaments from the nomadic tombs at Tillya Tepe.
In 1978, archaeologists digging at the ancient site of Tillya Tepe in northern Afghanistan made an unprecedented and unexpected discovery: tombs of ancient nomads that had not been disturbed for two thousand years. Buried there were a nomadic chieftain and five women wearing sumptuous adornments such as swords, crowns, and clothing covered with tiny gold appliqués. When the country descended into war shortly after the find, the so-called Bactrian Hoard disappeared and was believed to be lost forever. In 2003, the world was stunned to learn that the priceless artifacts had been located intact in a bank vault within the presidential palace in Kabul. A heroic group of Afghans who have come to be called the "key holders" kept the location of these treasures—along with other masterpieces belonging to the National Museum, Kabul—a secret through 25 tumultuous, war-torn years.
"As we look at these fragile and delicately wrought works of art, we cannot help but be amazed at their survival from antiquity to the present time," commented Thomas P. Campbell, Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "And as we learn the dramatic story of their fate over the last 25 years, our appreciation for them can only deepen. We are honored to present these beautiful treasures at The Metropolitan Museum of Art—their final US stop on a three-year-long worldwide tour."
Speaking about the exhibition, His Excellency Said Tayeb Jawad, Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States, remarked: "Afghanistan has always been the heart of Asia. Afghanistan's centrality in the Silk Road created a rich mosaic of cultures and civilizations. Although this mosaic was shattered by war and terror, both the spirit of the Afghan people and our cultural heritage survived. These priceless artifacts are a testament to the Afghan people and to the heroism of the brave and selfless Afghans who preserved and protected them. This exhibition is a celebration of Afghanistan as much as it is an expression of our appreciation for the global partnership between our ancient nation, the international community, and our friends in the United States."
Fredrik Hiebert, exhibition curator and National Geographic Archaeology Fellow, continued: "This exhibition is the culmination of many years of work by the Afghans. Without their courage and commitment, these objects would not exist today. Having worked closely with Afghan officials since 2003 on the preservation and inventory of the objects, I am honored to be part of the effort to share these treasures with audiences in the United States and ultimately to enhance the understanding of Afghanistan's rich cultural heritage."
Exhibition Overview
The exhibition is arranged by archaeological site and features new maps and media specially commissioned by the National Geographic Society. The display begins with objects from Tepe Fullol in northern Afghanistan. In 1966, farmers discovered the first evidence of a Bronze Age civilization in the region. The nearby Oxus riverbed may have provided the gold used to create the artifacts found in a burial cache at the site. A highlight is a gold bowl fragment dating around 2000 B.C., depicting bearded bulls, an image familiar in the art of Mesopotamia.
The second section focuses on Aï Khanum, one of the largest Greek-style cities founded in a region of Asia that had been conquered by Alexander the Great. Several buildings—a theater and gymnasium built in the Greek style—bear witness to the city's Greek origins, as do scientific instruments such as sundials. Works from the site show the Mediterranean influence in the area between the fourth and second centuries B.C. Sculptures and other objects from this site include a stone portrait of the Gymnasium director, a bronze image of Herakles, and a gilded silver plaque with the goddess Cybele, exhibiting a mixture of Greek and Near Eastern imagery .
The excavations at Begram, the third site, yielded works dating from between the first and second centuries A.D. Among the contents of two sealed rooms were remarkable luxury goods, including more than 180 Roman glass vessels and spectacular ivories carved in an Indian style, which are among the earliest preserved works of their kind. They depict women and children in domestic settings, as well as Indianized motifs such as the makara, a crocodile-like creature. These works shed light on the role of Afghanistan in the exchanges between East and West along the legendary Silk Road.
The fourth section of the exhibition focuses on Tillya Tepe and includes impressive inlaid gold objects found in the six nomadic tombs that were unearthed there. The individuals buried in the tombs belonged to the same group of nomadic peoples who first overran Bactria around 145 B.C. and brought an end to the Graeco-Bactrian kingdoms that had flourished in the region. The tombs of a chieftain and five women contained different kinds and quantities of objects, which may reflect their relative status. Dating from the first century A.D., the works include an exquisite crown and other luxury objects, most made of solid gold and many encrusted with turquoise and garnets. Although it is not known where the gold originated, the turquoise is probably from northeastern Iran and the other semiprecious stones may have been obtained from more distant regions through trade. The adornments found at the site display a fascinating blend of nomadic, Greek, Indian, and Chinese imagery. In addition, the closest parallels for the typically nomadic gold crown worn by the one of the women are found much later in fifth and sixth century A.D. tombs of the Silla Kingdom in Korea. Tillya Tepe thus raises compelling questions about the geographic and temporal span of nomadic traditions in Asia.
Also included in the exhibition is a 13-minute film, narrated by Afghan American author, Khaled Hosseini, and produced by National Geographic, which tells of the original discovery and excavation of these collections and their dramatic rediscovery in 2003.
Fragment of a bowl depicting bearded bulls (Tepe Fullol), 2200–1900 BCE, gold, National Museum of Afghanistan. ©Thierry Ollivier / Musée Guimet
08 juin 2009
Important sujet en bronze avec traces de polychromie, représentant la déesse Lha-mo ou Sridevi. Tibet, XVIIe siècle.
Important sujet en bronze avec traces de polychromie, représentant la déesse Lha-mo ou Sridevi. Tibet, XVIIe siècle.
à l'expression grimaçante, assise sur sa mule galopant sur un océan de sang. Elle est parée d'une couronne de têtes de morts et d'un collier de têtes, et tient le kapala dans sa main gauche. (Manque l'attribut dans la main droite). Haut. 28,5 cm. Estimation : € 14,000-16,000
Lundi 8 juin, espace Tajan. Tajan SVV. Mme Papillon d'Alton, M. Ansas
Important sujet en bronze de patine brune représentant le bodhisattva Manjusri. Tibet, deuxième moitié du XVIe siècle
Important sujet en bronze de patine brune anciennement laqué et doré à froid, représentant le bodhisattva Manjusri. Tibet, deuxième moitié du XVIe siècle.
La divinité est assise en lalitasana, exécutant le geste de l'enseignement ou dharmaçakra mudra. Les deux attributs essentiels de la divinité sont présents à savoir, le long de son bras gauche, on retrouve le livre de la Sagesse reposant sur le lotus bleu ou pala et le long de son bras droit, on retrouve le glaive surmontant un bouton de lotus. Il est coiffé d'un diadème traditionnel. La sculpture devait probablement reposer sur un lion, monture traditionnelle de Manju. Haut. 47 cm. Estimation : € 60,000-80,000
Provenance : Collection particuliere
Lundi 8 juin, espace Tajan. Tajan SVV. Mme Papillon d'Alton, M. Ansas
06 juin 2009
Rare tète de divinité masculine en terre cuite. Région du Gandhara, IVème-Vème siècle
Rare tète de divinité masculine en terre cuite. Région du Gandhara, IVème-Vème siècle
Superbement sculpté, le visage très expressif, le nez puissant, la peau des joues traîtée avec un grand naturel, les yeux enfoncés sous une arcade sourcilière proéminente, le front plissé, la bouche fine laissant apparaître la langue et rehaussée de moustaches terminées par des boucles venant se fondre dans une barbe magnifique faites de multiples volutes, les cheveux ondulés, socle ; restauration au nez. Hauteur: 64 cm. (25 2/8 in.). Est. €50,000 - €70,000
Provenance: From a French private collection
Notes: This impressive over life-size terracotta head is a rare example of portrait sculpture as it developed in late Gandharan art during the 4th and 5th centuries. The subtle and realistic modeling of the features betrays Hellenistic influences. The individual, raised ridges delineating the hair and beard are often seen in mature clay and stucco sculptures of that period and it has been suggested that this more pliable medium afforded more opportunities at realism to the sculptor (Rowland, Benjamin jr.: Ancient Art from Afganistan, New York, 1966,pp. 73-74). With that the present lot is a rare example that beyond idealism conveys mood, spirit, individual characteristics following in a tradition set by Roman portraiture. The naturalism of these portraits is sometimes further enhanced through polychrome. Compare with two other but smaller terracotta male bearded heads: Kurita, Isao, Gandhara Art II: The world of the Buddha, Japan 2003, Vol. II,, nos. 368&372, pp. 132-133.
Because the head is only a fragment of a formerly larger sculpture it is difficult to say what its iconographical was originally meant to be. Most likely the head was part of an over life-size statue of an Atlas or a Centaure. Compare with a smaller full size grey schist figure of a winged Atlas Christie's, New York, 20 March 2009 lot 1201; A grey schist figure of a Centaure is illustrated in Sotheby's, New York, 24 March 2004, lot 8. Centaures were associated with the cult of Dionysius and Bacchus where they are depicted in processional pageants. While it is known that this cult was popular in Gandharan era, and the appearance of Hellenistic figures such as Heracles and Atlas is common in Gandharan art, it is rare to find such a large example of a head.
The result of Oxford Thermoluminescence test no. N104e4 is consistent with this lot.
Christie's. Art d'Asie. 10 June 2009. Paris www.christies.com
"“Barbarian Kingdoms”: Ancient Treasures of South and Southwest China" au Art Institute of Chicago
Bronze Cowrie Container with Gilt Warrior and Four Oxen. China; Western Han period (206 BC-AD 8). Excavated at Shizhaishan, Jinning county, Yunnan Province. Collection of the Yunnan Provincial Museum.
As the first comprehensive exhibition ever held in North America of the ancient art and culture of Southwest China, “Barbarian Kingdoms”: Ancient Treasures of South and Southwest China will feature more than 150 splendid works of art from the Bronze Age Kingdom of Dian, near modern Kunming in the Yunnan Province, part of the highest plateau on Earth which joins Tibet in the Northwest and extends eastward to south China. The Kingdom of Dian emerged there as a major power during the 4th century B.C. and flourished for nearly 500 years. This exhibition will showcase objects made of bronze, gold, lacquer, and jade that reveal the superb artistry of the Dian. No other culture anywhere in Southeast Asia provides us with such a detailed picture of their customs, rituals, and beliefs. Through these objects, the exhibition will explore ancient Yunnan’s material culture as well as its spiritual world, and aims to make the complex and intriguing art of ancient China accessible to a broad American audience, and to heighten awareness of the role that Yunnan has played in the cultural history of Asia. In addition to art works from Dian, “Barbarian Kingdoms” will also feature objects from neighboring regions in China and Southeast Asia that show Yunnan’s position in a large network of cultural interaction. Bordering Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar and located toward the southwest of central China, the Yunnan region is an important cultural crossroads with a complex history and geography. “Barbarian Kingdoms” promises to break new art historical ground by giving a comprehensive survey of this dynamic region.
April 3–July 5, 2010. Art Institute of Chicago - 111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, USA