A COPPER-INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF DEVI, NEPAL, 10TH-11TH CENTURY

Expert’s note:
The remarkable degree of wear originating from sustained ritual procedures is a common trait of the earliest Nepalese sculpture that is directly handled during worship. With the features almost worn smooth, the present figure’s divine face has taken on an additional ethereal trait, amplifying her divine qualities.

Elegantly cast standing on a pedestal with her legs crossed, shifting her weight to the right, holding a copper-inlaid lotus stem in her right hand, her dhoti drawn tightly over her thighs and neatly incised, her body richly adorned with beaded jewelry, the hair pulled back with a jeweled crown atop.


Provenance:
Wiener Kunstauktionen, Vienna, Austria, 29 September 1994, lot 1124. Collection of Maria and Johannes Nickl, acquired from the above and thence by descent in the same family. A copy of the original invoice from Wiener Kunstauktionen, dated 29 September 1994, describing the present lot as a figure of Devi, confirming the dating above, and stating a purchase price of ATS 22,196 (or approx.
EUR 3,000
adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot. Maria (1926-2022) and Johannes Nickl (d. 2020) lived in Vienna, Austria, and were ardent collectors of Asian, Buddhist, and Egyptian works of art. They were highly active in Vienna’s tight-knit Asian art trade and assembled most of their collection during the 1980s and 1990s, frequently buying from Galerie Zacke and later Galerie Asboth. The couple were also noted museum patrons and their names are still found on the Ehrentafel (‘Roll of Honor’) of the Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection at the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien (Museum of Fine Arts Vienna) today.

Condition:
Good condition with extensive wear, predominantly from centuries of worship within the culture. Remnants of gilt. Tiny nicks, losses, and light scratches. The base with an old fill.

Weight: 102.9 g
Dimensions: Height 8 cm


As Lakshmi, Parvati, and Tara
are all known to hold the lotus seed as an attribute, Devi (the Sanskrit word for goddess) is an encompassing term that refers to the goddess regardless of her many forms. Having had several names during her long published history, statues such as the present lot have most commonly been identified as Devi on the basis of the ambiguity of her lone attribute, the lotus seed or gem.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 7 October 2019, lot 924
Price: HKD 250,625 or approx.
EUR 32,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt copper figure of Surya, Nepal, circa 10th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of casting, copper alloy material, and extensive wear. Note the slightly larger size (11.6 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 19 March 2014, lot 1037
Price: USD 12,500 or approx.
EUR 15,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze figure of Padmapani, Nepal, Licchavi period, circa 10th century
Expert remark: Compare the related style, material, casting technique and wear from worship within the culture. Note the slightly larger size (10.8 cm).




尼泊爾十至十一世紀鎏金鑲銅提毗像


神女造型優雅，盤腿立於台座上，重心右移，右手執鑲銅蓮花莖，腰係布巾，身上綴滿珠飾，頭髮向後梳，頭頂鑲寶王冠。


專家注釋：
由於祭祀儀式造成的顯著磨損是尼泊爾造像的一個共同特徵。隨著五官幾乎被磨得光滑，現在的女神臉龐呈現出更加祥和的特徵，增添了她的神聖品質。


來源：
奧地利維也納藝術拍賣，1994年9月29日，lot 1124；Mara與Johannes Nickl收藏，購於上述拍賣，在同一家族保存至今。隨附一份維亞納藝術拍賣行1994年9月29日出具的原始發票複印件，描述這件拍品為提毗像，確認了斷代，售價為 ATS 22,196 (或相當於
EUR 3,000
，根據通貨膨脹率)。Maria (1926-2022年) 與 Johannes Nickl (d. 2020年) 住在奧地利維也納，是亞洲、佛教和埃及藝術品的熱心收藏家。他們在維也納的亞洲藝術貿易中非常活躍，並在 1980 年代和 90 年代收集了大部分藏品，經常從 Zacke 藝廊和後來的 Asboth藝廊購買。 這對夫婦也是著名的博物館贊助人，他們的名字至今仍出現在維也納藝術史博物館（維也納美術博物館）埃及和近東藏品的榮譽榜上。

品相：
狀況良好，大面積磨損，應爲使用所致。鎏金殘餘，微小的刻痕、缺損和輕微的劃痕。底座舊時填補。

重量：102.9 克
尺寸：高 8 釐米


吉祥天女、雪山神女和度母
都手持蓮花。提毗梵語即為“女神”之意，象徵了神聖的女性面，婆羅門教奉行一元論，認為提毗是所有女神的原型，所有的印度女神都只是提毗不同的外觀而已。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港邦瀚斯，2019年10月7日，lot 924
價格：HKD 250,625（相當於今日
EUR 32,000
）
描述：尼泊爾約十世紀銅鎏金太陽神像
專家評論：比較非常相近的鑄造風格、銅合金和大面積磨損。請注意尺寸稍大 (11.6 釐米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2014年3月19日，lot 1037
價格：USD 12,500（相當於今日
EUR 15,000
）
描述：大約十世紀尼泊爾尼波羅國蓮花生大士銅像
專家評論：比較相近的風格、材質和鑄造技術，以及使用痕跡。請注意尺寸稍大 (10.8 釐米)。