AN IMPORTANT OVER-LIFESIZE ANDESITE HEAD OF BUDDHA, CENTRAL JAVANESE PERIOD, INDONESIA, 9TH CENTURY

Expert’s note:
The current lot exhibits compelling similarities to the renowned group of Buddha statues from Borobudur and can in particular be compared to several examples found at the Rupadhatu level. While appearing similar, each Buddha statue within this group actually possesses subtle variations, encompassing varying hand positions (mudras) and distinct facial features. These nuances symbolize distinct facets of enlightenment, from compassion and wisdom to spiritual power. For a closely related statue from the same period, see an andesite statue of Buddha which remains in situ at Borobudur (fig. 1). This particular statue exhibits several shared facial characteristics with the current lot, including outlined lips and crescent-shaped eyes, which become particularly apparent when viewed side by side (fig. 2) or superimposed over each other (fig. 3).

Superbly carved, the serene face with sinuously lidded downcast eyes below gently arched brows centered by a raised circular urna, above a broad nose and full bow-shaped lips with a raised lower edge forming a benevolent smile, flanked by long pendulous earlobes with pointed helices. The hair arranged in neatly incised snail-shell curls over the high ushnisha.


Provenance:
From a European private collection, acquired before 2007, and thence by descent.

Condition:
Superb condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, expected losses, signs of weathering and erosion, minor nicks. The stone with a superb, naturally grown, dark patina overall.

Weight: 25.2 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 42 cm (excl. stand) and 58.5 cm (incl. stand)

With an associated stand. (2)


The present andesite head epitomizes the ingenuity of the Central Javanese stone carvers
of the time, with distinct characteristics such as the incised pupils, large and elongated ears, and masterful snail-shell curls, arguably the best-designed facial features across all Buddhist art. Furthermore, the present sculpture bears the telltale signs of smoothened areas where beholders were gripped with the overt temptation to caress the head, which combined with the porous nature of the stone give it a unique yet unmistakable and, without a doubt, inimitable appearance.


A Buddha image of ineffable quiet and stillness
has been carved from rough volcanic rock. The profile and dome of the head are broad, allowing for a round tapering of the forehead, cheeks, and chin that, once finished with a polish, produce an overall impression of smoothness, belying the porous nature of the stone, which has resisted over a millennium of weather exposure with stunning ease. The sculptors working on the great stone monuments of 9th century Central Java produced some of the most beautifully proportioned Buddhist sculptures of any period or medium.


The present statue is almost certainly from Borobudur
or a related temple site, such as Sewu or Ngawen in Central Java. Built by the Shailendra dynasty around 825 CE, Borobudur is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments of all time, having one of the largest and most complete ensembles of Buddhist narrative relief panels in the world. Structured as a mandala of stacked platforms representing the three planes of existence in Mahayana cosmology (the world of desire, the world of forms, and the world of formlessness), Borobodur invites pilgrims circumambulating its didactic panels and sculpture to shuck the trappings of their perceived reality and realize their true inherent formlessness.


Literature comparison:

Compare a related andesite head of Buddha, 36 cm high, dated c. 800, originally part of a sculpture at Candi Sewu, Java, now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 43.6, illustrated by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, “A Buddha Head from Java”, Bulletin of the Museum of Fine Arts, Vol. 41, No. 244 (June 1943), pp. 33-34. Three examples in the British Museum collected by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in the early 19th century demonstrate that not all Borobudur Buddha heads were created equal (1859,1228.175, 1859,1228.176, 1859,1228.177). Some have softer, more delicate brows while others show harder features and more pronounced monobrows. Some have spire-like ushnishas, while others are broader and more pleasing. Of the three British Museum heads, it is the most celebrated and widely exhibited one (1859,1228.176) that bears the closest resemblance to the present lot, illuminating its quality.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 17 March 2016, lot 23
Price: USD 509,000 or approx.
EUR 596,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An important stone head of Buddha, Indonesia, Central Java, 9th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related stone, manner of carving, and expression. While the Christie's example hails from a well-known collection, the current lot bears greater resemblance to pieces found in prominent museum collections. Both examples share similar features and size, but the current lot stands out as aesthetically superior. Note the related size (39.9 cm)


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 March 2012, lot 143
Price: USD 170,500 or approx.
EUR 207,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An andesite head of Buddha, Indonesia, central Java, 9th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related stone, manner of carving, and expression. Note the much smaller size (36.8 cm).