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Premium Maison de Vente Bürgi
73
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HEAD OF AN ASURA OR DVARAPALA GUARDIAN
See original version (French)
73
-
HEAD OF AN ASURA OR DVARAPALA GUARDIAN
See original version (French)
Estimate €4,000 - €5,000
Voluntary lot
Description
HEAD OF AN ASURA OR DVARAPALA GUARDIAN
Khmer art – Angkorian period, Bayon style
Sandstone
Height: 27 cm
A remarkable male head with a deliberately powerful and menacing expression, carved from beige-coloured sandstone.
The face, with wide-open eyes, strongly defined brow ridges and a slightly parted mouth revealing the teeth, displays a physiognomy characteristic of the protective and demonic figures found in Khmer iconography.
The hair is particularly striking: it is arranged in several rows of carefully defined spiral curls, topped by a tall cylindrical bun with vertical grooves.
The rendering of the features and the strongly accentuated expression link this effigy to the iconography of the asuras or the dvarapala temple guardians. These protective figures were intended to symbolically defend sacred spaces.
The piece as a whole displays a beautiful antique patina, with uniform surface wear and traces of erosion consistent with an ancient sculpture.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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