An attractive brass or white bronze alter / shrine of Virabhadra (Shiva with attendants), Western India, difficult to date, but we think it's at least 18th.-19th. century, but likely somewhat older.
Virabhadra, or Veerabhadra, is a fierce aspect of Shiva, who manifested following an unforgiveable insult made to Shiva’s wife, Sati, by her father, Prajapati Daksh. The central figure in the shrine is Virabhadra, a hero-warrior...
A deeply carved wooden lintel, dating to circa the mid-19th century, possibly earlier. The carving is detailed and in excellent condition. Chief among the figures is "Kamadhenu," a winged female deity with the body of a cow and the head of a human. The piece measures 30" in length (80cm) and is 9" in height (22cm).
Head of a deity, probably one of the Hindu deities. However, the shape of the top of the head and the presence of a usnisa above the forehead may suggest that this is an early representation of the head of Buddha. The head is made of wood, with a beautiful dark brown crusty patina. India, 15th/16th century. Height: 21 cm. Very good condition despite a few age cracks.
An exceptionally large and heavy bronze figure of Radha, Wife of Krishna, VAishnava Devotional og Bhakti traditions of Hinduism, 16th.-17th. century AD.
Very attractive figure of solid bronze with no core, Radha is in a standing posture with her arms, protruding round breasts, semi-nude addorned with jevellery.
Height 27 cm. excl. the wooden base. The weight is more than 3 kilograms!
Ex. Danish Auction house, estimated at $1000-$1300.
An elegant double-bell shaped Indian spitoon made of zinc alloy, decorated with poppy motifs, inlaid in silver. Condition: few inlay losses (see first and photo No. 11 and 12). Dimension: c. 15.3 cm high, diameter: c. 12.1 cm, weight: 1020 g.
Child Jesus as a Good Shepherd ivory statuette on a pedestal. He is naked and his face is gently leaned. His hairs are sculpted in fine strand of hair shaping curls. His almond eyes and his fixed look suggest a mystic and pensive attitude. The Christ child is seated, he is in a deeply meditation...
18th century Indian bronze votive sculpture of Radha beautifully flexing her body, her arms wide spread, a betel nut in her right hand, cast in the State of Orissa. Radha is a Hindu goddess and a chief consort of the god Krishna and is worshiped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion and devotion. She is the avatar of Lakshmi and is also described as the chief of gopis (milkmaids), who are entranced by Krishna playing flute...
18th century Indian bronze votive sculpture of dancing Krishna playing a flute, cast in the State of Orissa. This avatar of Vishnu playing flute for gopis is known as Krishna Venugopala (as always in this image, flute was cast separately, and is missing). Excellent casting and detailing (see his eyes inlaid with silver), wonderful face, beautiful patina, very pleasant feel of age to the sculpture. Height 5 7/8 inches.
18th century Indian bronze votive sculpture of dancing Krishna playing a flute, cast in the State of Orissa. This avatar of Vishnu playing flute for gopis is known as Krishna Venugopala (as always in this image, flute was cast separately, and is missing). Excellent casting and detailing (see the loose ends of his tied loincloth), wonderful face, beautiful patina, very pleasant feel of age to the sculpture. Height 5 1/4 inches.
18th century Indian bronze votive sculpture of Ganesha sitting on a rectangular throne with probhavali at his back, his vahana (vehicle) - a bandicoot rat - by his left foot, and holding his usual attributes in his 4 hands. This Ganesha has his trunk turned to the left, and it is strongly advisable for worshippers to keep left sided Ganesha statue at home. They are believed to be representing Ida Nadi (lunar energy) with its moonlike nature and feminine energy with a cooling effect...
18th century votive Indian bronze sculpture depicting the mother goddess Durga standing on the back of her vehicle - a roaring lion - and slaying the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Durga is the most powerful female deity in the Hindu pantheon. She is grabbing the hair of the demon with one hand while holding in her back hands various weapons symbolic of the attributes of all the gods given to her to slay the demon...
18th century Indian bronze votive sculpture of Ganesha sitting on a rectangular throne, with his vahana (vehicle) - a bandicoot rat - in his lap, and holding his usual attributes in his 4 hands. There is a protective naga (cobra) above his head. Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, and thus is invoked before any new undertaking such as marriage or new business. He bestows good luck on his worshippers, and is prayed to in some forms of Tantric worship...
18th century votive Indian bronze sculpture depicting the mother goddess Durga slaying the buffalo demon Mahishasura, with her right foot resting on the back of her vehicle - a roaring lion. Durga is the most powerful female deity in the Hindu pantheon. She has a spear in one front hand, and is grabbing the hair of the demon with the other. In her back hands Durga holds various weapons symbolic of the attributes of all the gods given to her to slay the demon...
18th century Indian bronze votive sculpture of Ganesha sitting on an elevated base and holding his usual attributes in his 4 hands. There is a protective naga (cobra) wrapped around his waist. Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, and thus is invoked before any new undertaking such as marriage or new business. He bestows good luck on his worshippers, and is prayed to in some forms of Tantric worship...
18th century Indian bronze votive sculpture of Nandi - the vehicle of Shiva, or sometimes considered to be a form of Shiva himself. It rests wearing rich trappings in front of Shiva lingam. Very nice casting, wonderful feel of age produced by devotional wear and compressed sandalwood paste used during worship. Very good devotional object, pleasant to hold. Length 2 inches.
Small 18th century Indian bronze shrine in a form of a courtyard with Shiva, his wife Parvati and Naga (hooded cobra) between them, and facing them their elephant-headed son Ganesha, Nandi the bull of Shiva, another Naga (hooded cobra) and Shiva lingam. Very nice simple devotional sculpture with earnest casting and detailing, good patina from being touched during worship, a lot of compressed dust, very pleasant feel of age. Length 1 3/16 inches.
18th century Indian bronze votive sculpture of dancing Krishna playing a flute, cast in the State of Orissa. This avatar of Vishnu playing flute for gopis is known as Krishna Venugopala (as always in this image, flute was cast separately, and is missing). Powerful casting, wonderful face, beautiful patina, very pleasant feel of age to the sculpture. Height 6 1/2 inches.
Early 19th century Indian bronze votive sculpture of Radha beautifully flexing her body, her arms wide spread and hair arranged in a bun. Radha is a Hindu goddess and a chief consort of the god Krishna and is worshiped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion and devotion. She is the avatar of Lakshmi and is also described as the chief of gopis (milkmaids), who are entranced by Krishna playing flute...