A LARGE MUCALINDA SHELTERING BUDDHA, SANDSTONE, NAGA PROK, 12TH CENTURY Khmer Empire, Angkor Wat style. Finely carved with Buddha seated on the coiled naga, the seven-headed cobra rising to form a mandorla, the details finely incised, the face with a serene expression, almond-shaped eyes and a benevolent smile. Provenance: From the private Luxembourg collection of Camille Mines (1950-2018), whose father Rene acquired this piece in the local trade during the early 1970s, and thence by descent. A copy of a personal letter signed by Robert Mines, dated 7 March 2019, confirming the aforementioned acquisition timeframe is accompanying this lot. Condition: Excellent condition considering the age of this piece. Natural erosion, some wear and losses, including the missing seventh naga head at the top of the mandorla and part of the snake's tail at the back, remains of black and red lacquer. Weight: 135 kg in total approximately Dimensions: Height 93 cm (the figure), Height 95 cm (incl. base) Mucalinda, also Muchalinda or Mucilinda, is the name of a naga sheltering the Buddha from the elements after his enlightenment. When a storm raged and torrential rain fell for a whole week, the king of the nagas, Muchalinda, rose from the earth, coiling its body to form a seat and swelled its great hood to shelter Buddha. When the great storm had cleared, the serpent king assumed his human form, bowed before the Buddha, and returned to his palace. Seven-headed nagas are often depicted as guardian statues, carved as balustrades on causeways leading to main Cambodian temples, such as those found in Angkor Wat. Mounted on a metal base. (2) Literature comparison: Compare with a very similar piece in the collection of RMN Grand Palais in Paris, inventory number Ka985. Auction result comparison: Compare with a related but significantly larger (147 cm) and slightly older statue, Bayon style, sold by Christie's Paris in Art d'Asie on 14 December 2016, lot 24, for EUR €242,500.